How Could Someone Care?
by Mushrambolover
Summary: Only the prettiest girls were allowed in these areas of high-paying customers. One of the major plusses to being in this area is that most of the customers aren't from around here. So, you never have to see them again.
1. Chapter 1

I'm not under the best circumstances, I know.

I also happen to know that most of the world looks down upon women like me.

People think I'm lower than the average person.

And what did I do to become this low person?

I was born.

See, one time, a long, long time ago… I was happy and healthy.

A normal young girl- who was simply named as Rin.

Then, my father died.

My mother worked hard, but I guess being a single mom with a low wage and on welfare gets to you.

My mother… committed suicide when I was ten years old.

I was taken into an orphanage, where everyone looked down on me, gossiping about my thoughtless mother.

I lived there for about a year, then ran away, unable to bear the lies they spouted.

I was soon starving, living behind dumpsters in alleyways.

A man found me in an ally one day and told me I was pretty.

He came back the next night and gave me food, then offered me the job of a prostitute.

Feeling my stomach growl, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

So here I am, seven years later, working as a prostitute on the streets of New York.

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan**

"Sesshomaru! My man!"

Sesshomaru turned to his business partner, Naraku, and smiled his icy-god smile, asking the black-haired man what he wanted.

"You know the meeting down in New York that's supposed to be in two months? Well it has been moved up to next week…"

Sesshomaru nodded his head, proceeding to tap away on his computer.

"Well, you see… Kagura had our kid last week…" Naraku looked for acknowledgement, then went on, "I can't bear to leave them just yet. Would you mind going in my place?"

Sesshomaru stopped typing and looked at Naraku, contemplating the situation, and then answering, "If you do me a favor…"

"What favor do you need?"

Sesshomaru's mouth twisted into an evil smirk, "Find some reason to fire my bastard brother, Inuyasha."

Naraku smiled his own evil smile, "Done."

* * *

Working as a prostitute, I've seen and done many things most people will never even give a second thought to. 

When I was twelve, that man that gave me this job 'rented me out' as a virgin to a man.

That night was so scary; it still haunts me all these years later.

I've been with so many men, so many times.

Though, I guess I can't complain.

I'm alive aren't I?

I'm lucky.

See, over all this time I've been a prostitute, I've met many women like me. Some, I'd even call friends.

Many of those 'friends' have been murdered on the job. Many have even been caught as illegal prostitutes and have gone to waste away in jail.

But it might just be a matter of time until I'm killed or caught.

I still have no choice.

If I was to back out now… I'd either starve or be hunted down and killed by that very same man who gave me this job.

* * *

"Son…" 

Sesshomaru looked to the door of his office, recognizing his father's cheery voice, and let him inside.

"Son, I hear you're going in Naraku's place to New York," Inutaisho sat in the chair in front of Sesshomaru's desk, making himself at home.

"And?"

"Just letting you know that I'm going too."

"Is that so?" Sesshomaru didn't even glance at his father.

"I've also heard that you still want to fire your brother," Inutaisho raised an eyebrow, giving him a cocky look.

"Do I have any other goal in life?"

Inutaisho shook his head and sighed, "I guess not."

Sesshomaru's speaker phone buzzed, the secretary's voice coming over the speaker, "Mr. Takahashi? Sorry to interrupt, but is the President with you?"

"Yes, he is. Do you need to speak with him?"

"I just have a message from Naraku… He says that he needs to speak with you as soon as you are available, sir."

"Thank you."

Inutaisho stood and walked to the door, saying goodbye as he left his son in silence.

* * *

I had begun to prepare for the night, dressing in my reveling clothes and stilettos. 

I hate dressing like this, but it appeals to my customers.

I keep hoping that I'll get a rich virgin-boy tonight, one of the ones who are afraid of intercourse, or too shy.

They are the ones who finish quickly, and pay the most.

Either that or a big-time business man; they pay nicely but usually keep you much longer than a shy virgin.

Once the sun went down and my make-up was on, I left the shabby apartment I shared with a few of the other girls and headed toward my usual street.

This street was in-between the big business buildings and the high-end hotels.

Only girls like me were allowed here.

You see, the prostitute's world is much like the average person's world.

You gotta work your way to the top.

Only the prettiest and long-working girls were allowed in these areas of high-paying customers.

I had become one of these girls.

One of the major plusses to being in this area is that most of the customers aren't from around here.

In other words, you never have to see them again.

* * *

"I think I might have found a way to ensure that Inuyasha never comes back to this company again!" Naraku said to Sesshomaru in a sing-song voice. 

"And what is this way?"

"You know that woman he's been seeing behind the President's back?" Naraku sat in the chair Sesshomaru's father had sat in not long before.

"Kagome Higurashi?"

"Yes, turns out Inuyasha got her pregnant."

"Really?" Sesshomaru put his smirk on.

"Really. And you know, I don't think I can control if word gets around to President Takahashi that Inuyasha won't be able to uphold his contract."

"What rumors just might spread?"

"Something along the lines of… 'You know about Kikyo, the woman President Takahashi promised Inuyasha would marry? Well Inuyasha can't marry her now… he got Kagome Higurashi pregnant! He won't be able to marry Kikyo and merge the companies!'" Naraku said in a mock-voice.

"…This should be interesting…"

"You will be going to New York for me, right, Fluffy?" Naraku used the nickname Sesshomaru hated with a passion.

Sesshomaru silently seethed at the nickname but responded nonetheless, "You do know that if anyone but an Executive called me that they'd be dead." He stated more than asked.

"Of course," Naraku smiled, "That is why I intend on using my executive power to its fullest."

* * *

Today was an okay night. Nothing exciting happened. 

Not great pay either…

But okay.

The first guy that picked me up was a normal guy wanting to live out his fantasies with a pretty girl.

The second was a lowly pawn from a gang.

And the last was some new business owner, and goodness, he would NOT stop talking…

I'm too tired for another round though… I think I'll go home and get some sleep before the sun comes up.

Maybe I'll get tomorrow off to catch up on my sleep?

But that's just wistful thinking.

* * *

"It's time to go home, son," Inutaisho stood in his son's office doorway. 

"I just need to finish a little more business…"

Inutaisho frowned and sighed as he turned away, "You need to find yourself a girl."

Sesshomaru almost felt like growling.

He had once been married… part of an agreement made by his father, much like Inuyasha's contract.

He had actually fallen in love with the woman, but she couldn't bring herself to love him back, and left him for another man shortly after their arranged marriage.

Now, his heart was surrounded by ice, unbreakable to any known human.

* * *

**A/n:** You like? This started out as a simple thought, but I thought out loud to my beta and she liked it so... Here is 'How Could Someone Care?'!

Tell me if you like it or not! (It's my 5th fic so I can pretty much handle anything)

Oh yeah, if your flaming is just about "Oh my GOD! PROSTITUTE! EW!" or "blah, blah, blah, politcal issues! blah" or "UNDERAGE SEX!" or you freaks who are fraked out about SEX, I don't care for your opinions.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up today to the sounds of gunshots.

One of my 'friends' was killed on the job.

When our boss found out, he sent the next highest-ranking girl to live in my apartment.

I don't even know what happened to that girl's body.

Will that be my fate?

To die without _one_ person caring that I'm not around anymore?

Will someone even give me a proper burial?

I guess I shouldn't put much more thought into it…

Boss told us that a big company from Japan is flying in today.

He's letting only us top-ranking women by that area.

Maybe I'll be lucky tonight…

* * *

Flight from Tokyo, Japan to New York city, U.S.A.

"Still typing away at your computer?" Inutaisho poked his head over his first-class seat and bugged his oldest son.

Silence.

"Fine. Don't talk to your only father, your boss, and life-giver…"

Silence.

Inutaisho sighed and sat back in his seat, closing his eyes and listening to his son's typing.

"Would you care for a glass of wine, sir?" Inutaisho was brought to reality by the flight attendant's voice.

"Yes, please," he smiled at the woman as she stepped forward to ask Sesshomaru the same question which she received no answer to. "Just give him a glass, he doesn't normally respond to anyone."

The attendant smiled and mouthed 'thank you' and walked off to get their wine.

"If you act like that, you're never going to get a girl," Inutaisho said to his son, not even bothering to see if he was listening.

"It's a good thing I'm not trying then, is it?"

* * *

Boss said the flight was coming in at around ten tonight. 

I was tempted to get a round in… but I can't risk missing a big opportunity.

Me and the other high-ranking girls are scattered about the route from the airport to the hotel boss said they were staying at.

I'm dressed like the best tonight.

I'm determined to make my own money tonight.

* * *

"I love New York…" another executive, Daisuke Ito, said as he looked out the windows as their limo drove down the street. "Isn't there an American saying... 'Whatever happens in New York- stays in New York'?" 

"That's Las Vegas," Inutaisho laughed.

"Eh, whatever. Both are famous for their beautiful prostitutes…" Daisuke still looked out the window, hoping to spot his prostitute for the night.

"There are quite a few pretty girls here…" said the last executive, Kouga Sato.

"Stop the car! I see one…" Daisuke smirked as he got out of the car to get the woman.

Instead of bringing just one back, he brought two.

"Intend on being busy tonight?" Kouga raised an eyebrow at Daisuke.

"No, just paying you back for Hong Kong, my dear friend," Daisuke pointed for the blonde-haired girl to sit by Kouga.

Kouga smiled his wolf-smile and asked the blonde-haired girl in broken English, "What be you are name?"

"Kana."

"No last name?"

"It has no meaning."

* * *

She's right. 

Last names have no meaning whatsoever.

I can't even bring myself to remember mine.

Anyways, here I am, just where I want to be- in a limo with big-time guys from Japan.

The guy who picked us up is most definitely from Japan.

Japanese looks, speaking horrible English… also speaking Japanese…

At least the new high-rank girl, Kana, got picked up too.

I need to make sure she gets paid her due…

I can't believe how rich these men are, and how gorgeous.

But of course I get the worst-looking one.

But he isn't so bad.

Maybe I'll pretend I got picked up by that silver-haired man… he's so quiet…so serene…

* * *

"Here we are," Inutaisho said in perfect English, surprising Kana and Rin. 

Sesshomaru stayed silent as he rose from the car, following the rest of the group to the check-in desk.

"You're what named?" Daisuke asked Rin, still speaking horrible English.

Still, Rin got the point and told him her name quietly, just barely audible.

"You have no last name either?" Inutaisho asked.

"No. It doesn't matter."

Inutaisho sighed and cast a grimace at Kouga and Daisuke, feeling sorry for the two girls.

They checked in, grabbing their hotel cards and making haste to the elevators; which lifted them up the one of the highest levels, their penthouses, and into their separate rooms.

After being dazzled by the richness of the room, Daisuke's luggage came. Once his things were unpacked by a maid, he made all haste to get Rin into his massive bed, starting what Rin was meant to do.

* * *

Even I have not been with a man this rich. 

If only he was that serene, handsome man from the car…

This man has no taste when it comes to bedroom ministrations, nor does he lay back and fully enjoy life…

I guess it doesn't matter, as long as I'm paid my due, he can do this however he wishes.

He finished, now lying beside me, he asked me to stay, on pay, of course.

He pulled his wallet out of his discarded pants and paid me what would cover a week's worth of men.

So I stay… just lying there, until I hear screaming and yelling from the room next door.

It's Kana's voice screeching, not in a way you'd expect (perverts), but in a way that said something was wrong.

So I quickly got up, leaving the sleeping Daisuke behind; I grabbed Daisuke's discarded shirt, wrapping it around myself, and went out the door to where the screams were coming from.

Soon after I came up to the door, a naked Kana came running out, followed by a red-haired woman and a half-dressed Kouga.

She was yelling in Japanese, and clearly angry with Kouga.

Soon, the few doors that lined the hallway were open and their owners were watching the drama unfolding.

Kana stood behind me, trying her best to hide her body from the spectators' looks and the red-head's wrath.

Then I felt Kana and myself being pulled into a room behind us, I feared that we might not come out of the room alive, but then I saw the silver-haired serene man block the door so the red-haired woman couldn't come in after us.

* * *

"That was Ayame, Kouga's wife," Sesshomaru spoke to the girls standing in his room, wide-eyed and shaking. "Here," he tossed an oversized sweatshirt at Kana. 

After putting on his sweatshirt, Ayame decided to bang on Sesshomaru's door, yelling at them in Japanese.

Rin looked behind her and saw Kana, who was loosing all the color in her face. This isn't the first time a prostitute has been caught with a married man…

Then no color was left in Kana's features, and she fainted hard onto the ground.

"Um…" Rin kneeled down and checked to make sure Kana was relatively okay, then silently asked Sesshomaru for help.

He gracefully picked Kana up and walked into the adjacent room and set her on his bed. "You both can stay here until she wakes up and Ayame is gone," he spoke practiced English and left them both in his bedroom.

"W-wait!" Rin called after him and got up, pulling Daisuke's shirt more securely around her body. "She didn't get paid!"

Sesshomaru stopped and turned his head slightly to indicate he was listening.

"If she doesn't get paid…" she spoke more softly, "then we'll both get in trouble with our boss…"

He stood still then an annoyed expression came to his face, "Why should it concern me?"

Rin had tears in her eyes as she spoke, "Please… if she doesn't come back with her share of money… she could be p-punished."

He sighed, and then slowly turned around to fully face her. He stared her long and hard in the face, and once he was sure she wasn't lying and reached into his pocket to pull out a wad of American money, "Here."

Rin gave him a heavenly smile, a genuine, true smile, and took the money and said, "Thank you, thank you so much."

* * *

A/n: It's been awile, huh? Sorry... 

Anyways... I was shocked at the reponse I got from the first chapter! I felt so loved! Just so you all know, Im not one of those freak writers that gets offended when people put a story on their alerts and don't review. Although, it is nice to HEAR what you think, but I take alerts and favs as compliments. So keep on adding this to your lists! hahaha...


	3. Chapter 3

So as I sit here, waiting for Kana to wake and Ayame to leave, I can't help but steal quick glances at the beautiful man in the room.

He stays quietly at the desk in the room and types on his laptop, never even acknowledging Kana or me.

Now that we're alone- I can fully take in his beauty.

Long, straight silver hair- not grey, silver. It would look unnatural and fake on any other person but this man or the other man like him in the car, but it looks so right on them; especially this beautiful man.

Golden-honey eyes, which aren't shaped like the normal Japanese man's eyes; they look more like a Caucasian man's eyes.

I wish I could stay here with this intriguing man.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, Sesshomaru was still typing away at his computer, and Kana was still unconscious- blissfully unaware of her situation. 

Rin still sat on his bed, stealing glances at the heavenly man in her presence; that is, until he decided to meet her gaze.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" he asked her in an annoyed voice, looking her straight in the eye, her beautiful, Asian-slanted and dark eyes.

Rin was shocked, but tried to hold his gaze the best she could.

"I-I don't… know what to say."

Sesshomaru barely blinked, still looking at the girl, 'Rin' he told himself, on his bed. "_Say_ why you were looking at me when you didn't think that I wouldn't take notice of it."

Rin lost his eye contact and looked down at her lap, "I'm sorry…" she more whispered to herself, not letting him hear her apology.

Sesshomaru took a step toward her and continued on with his prying, "You are a very strange woman."

Rin snapped her head and looked at him with questioning eyes.

"You look at me when you think I'm not looking. Yet, when I look at you, you look away from me."

"…" Rin looked back towards her lap. "I'm not used to this."

Sesshomaru let a questioning look pass his features for a split second, luckily unseen by the woman before him. "Used to this? Aren't you supposed to be with men all the time?"

Rin went red, and then tried her best to explain herself; "I am with men all the time… but my conversations aren't normally this close to…" she searched for the right word, "_civil_."

"Oh…" Sesshomaru said quietly to himself- too quiet for Rin to hear more than a mumble.

After a few moments of awkward silence Rin braced up the courage to ask him what she'd been wondering, "Why are your eyes like a Caucasian man's eyes? I thought your company was from Japan…"

Sesshomaru answered simply with, "My ancestors never had the Japanese eyes. No matter how many times my family has married into Japanese families, we always seem to have these golden eyes."

Rin looked up then, studying his eyes once more. "Where did you get the silver hair, then?"

"My father, the showoff from the car," his face showed slight annoyance from thinking of his father.

Rin lost her bravery, guessing she'd used up her questions with his straight-out answer and dour face.

It was that moment in which Kana decided to come out of her dead state and ask, "Am I alive?"

Rin let a small grin come to her face as she answered the blonde, "Yes; that crazy red-head didn't get a chance to kill you."

Kana let out a sigh of relief; but she pulled the sweatshirt closer to her body and took a slightly protected stance when she noticed Sesshomaru standing a few paces from the bed.

"He saved us from that woman's wrath, he's okay," Rin assured the slightly younger girl, gesturing peacefully towards Sesshomaru.

A knock came from the hotel room's door and Sesshomaru went into the next room to answer it. Being the inquisitive girl that she was, Rin followed behind, and listened from the doorframe between the bedroom and entrance.

They spoke in hushed voices, until Rin made herself known by stepping into the room.

It was Daisuke, the man who had originally paid for Rin.

They acknowledged her, and then went back into less hushed voices; but Rin was finally close enough to know that they spoke in Japanese.

"Sesshomaru! I paid for her! Let me bring her back to my room!"

"She chooses to stay here. If she wanted to go back, then she would have done so."

"Then pay me back what I gave her! I paid for her to stay the whole night!"

Sesshomaru smirked evilly, "Like you could go all night." His face lost his smirk and returned to its normal, stolid state, "Like I said, she chooses to stay here with her friend."

"She can't just 'choose' to stay here! She's supposed to have NO opinions! I paid for her! I paid to do what she does, be a freaking PROSTITUE for ME," Daisuke's face went pink with all the anger he was expressing to his boss's son.

Rin's eyes filled with tears, "I heard that." She spoke in Japanese.

Sesshomaru and Daisuke were silent, openly showing their shock.

Daisuke finally managed to say in Japanese, "You can understand us?!"

"Mostly," Rin looked down at her feet, hugging her arms to her lithe body, letting a tear slide down her cheek; she wished she couldn't understand them.

"I guess… she could be Japanese…" Sesshomaru added quietly, taking in her looks more closely. She had slanted brown eyes, with dark brown hair, which was almost completely straight. She could defiantly be Japanese, now that he thought about it.

Daisuke remembered his 'mission' and tried to cover the shock he just experienced, taking Rin's upper right arm he said, "Come back with me. I'm getting my money's worth."

"Rin! Don't wait up! I'm just going to go back to our apartment! I'll tell boss where you are, Rin!" Kana raised her voice from Sesshomaru's room as Daisuke pulled Rin back to his room.

* * *

A/n: Short, I know. Sorry! It was a natural stopping point though! ...And I'm sleepy. Once I'm done posting this, I'm hitting the sack. 

Music: 'Roxas theme' by whoever does KH2 music and 'Maneater' by Nelly Furtado.

And now, for thanks and bows for the people who support this... since this chapter was short... (only responding to chapter 2 reviews).

_Murasaki Mice.-_ best English I've read from a diffrent country for a long time, so no worries. Thanks for the review! I'm glad someone shares my views about this issue!

_Lord of the West_: Thanks for the review! I had hope people would think Sesshomaru was realistic... at least somewhat.

_BurningRoses123_: No worries, I'm just thankful you got around to reviewing!

_soprannaUSF_: Thanks the review! It made my day!

_INUYASHA-BABE345433_: Thanks, glad you found this funny/good.

_AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4evr_: thanks. Hope this wasn't too slow for you... and unheated... lol

_babegalanime_: I have continued, and I plan to keep going!

_Majik_: Sorry I take so long... high school drains a girl. I won't abandon this, too many people seem to like it, so no worries. Thanks for sticking with me!

_Bert8813_: I hope I never forget about this, I'd let down too many people, then I'd feel bad, hahaha.

_DearestEli_: Thank you so much! Your review made a really bad day a whole lot better!

_Fluffycrush_: thanks for sticking with me!

_deardesolate_: Thanks! I'm glad you think this is worth waiting for, I'm truly motivated to update since you've submitted your review, so, THANKS!

Also, thanks to:

Ayukyo, BurningRoses123, LordOfTheWest, Murasaki Mice., Rinatsu, Starrilight-Hotaru, deardesolate, fluffycrush, kimamhill, and suena for adding this to their favorites.

Another round of thanks to:

Angelwarrior1, Ayukyo, Bert8813, Chew Chew, ColdHeartedVixen, DearestEli, Demonic-Little-Angel, Fruits Basket Obsessed, Hayal Nazim, INUYASHA-BABE345433, LonelySoul828, Lord Divestre Croft, Names Are Hard, Rinatsu, deardesolate, fluffycrush, and Kag0me for adding this to their story alerts.


	4. Chapter 4

I went back with Daisuke, and spent the night.

In the morning, after various activities, he paid me twice as much as before- making my salary worth three weeks of high-paying men.

Kana left shortly after I had gone back to Daisuke's room; and that serene man that saved us.

I now realize that I don't even know my savior's name…

But it doesn't matter, I guess.

It's not like I'll ever see him again.

* * *

"How much were you paid, little Rin?" Boss asked Rin, who was sitting on her broken couch in her shabby apartment.

Rin handed him the money out of her skirt's pocket.

Boss took the money, with a greedy look on his face, and smirked at Rin, "Nice job," he bent down so his tall frame took his face close to hers, "here's a little extra for being a good little bitch," he tossed a nice sum of money in her lap. "Go get something nice," he said as he walked through the front door.

"Rin?" Kana came from her new room, and sat beside Rin on the couch.

"Did he give you some spending money?" Rin asked the other girl.

"Yeah, but not nearly as much as he gave you," Kana counted the money in Rin's lap. "Holy crap, Rin! What are you gonna do with all this money?"

"I don't know. I think I'll save most of it," she said, and then said aloud, "Do you wanna go with me to that nice place down by the big-shot hotels for lunch?"

"Which one?"

"The one across the street from the hotel we were at last night," Rin smiled at the blonde.

"But what if we see those guys from last night? They might be there… that's pretty high-end restaurant."

"Don't worry… there are millions of places that they could eat; we probably won't see them again unless they pick us up for another round."

With some moments of hesitation, Kana came to her decision, "Well, okay. I guess I'll go… just let me get dressed and I'll go with you," Kana smiled and got up, walking to her room to get ready.

After getting dressed, Rin and Kana got on the subway. They finally made it to the restaurant, and were seated immediately.

Kana took a look at the menu, "Rin? This stuff is really expensive… are you sure about eating here?"

"Yeah. Go ahead and order whatever you want… you only live once, right?" Rin smiled.

They ordered and were soon eating their wonderful meal before them- enjoying themselves like they hadn't done in so many years.

They didn't notice when a group of men passed by, nor did they really care when they sat in the booth next to their booth- that's nothing exceptionally different in a restaurant.

What was exceptionally different was the fact that the men in the booth next to theirs happened to be their customers from the night before.

"Rin…?" Kana worriedly said, seeing the men in the booth behind Rin.

Rin looked confused but answered, "Yes?"

"Those guys from last night are sitting behind you…" Kana pointed discreetly.

Rin turned her head slightly, and as to confirm Kana's statement muttered, "Damn jinxing myself."

"What are we gonna do?" Kana asked Rin, her eyes slightly wide.

"Nothing… we're almost done, hopefully they don't notice when we leave," Rin decided, taking another bite of her juicy steak.

They continued to eat, until like all perfect days, Rin had to pee. And of course, to get to the bathrooms, she had to pass the people she didn't want to see.

"How am I supposed to go pee without them seeing me?" Rin panicked, after telling Kana about nature's calling.

"Um, I don't know…" Kana was slightly pale, "Somehow turn into a ninja for five seconds? Can't you hold it?"

Rin shook her head, "No…"

"Well, I don't know what to tell you. Just go, hopefully they won't care or recognize you…"

Rin got up, almost hesitantly, and smoothed her skirt out, preparing to walk past the men's table.

She began to walk, but her eyes caught her savior's eyes. She walked a little faster, hoping he wouldn't have time to recognize her.

* * *

"Wow, did you see those legs?" Daisuke said to his coworkers. "They looked like that girl's from last night…." He smirked darkly.

"That's because it was the girl from last night," Sesshomaru said plainly.

"No way? Wonder what she's doing here…" Kouga added.

Inutaisho shook his head, "Don't talk about that. I'm still disgusted with you two," he pointed at Daisuke and Kouga. "Especially you, Kouga. You're married."

"To a mad woman!" Kouga tried to defend himself.

After a few minutes, and Kouga's cruel remarks about his wife, Daisuke said in a lowered voice, "Oh, I see my little prostitute now!" Daisuke pointed to Rin, who was walking back to her booth.

Inutaisho smacked his pointing finger, "Be polite. She is still a lady, you know."

"A fine lady…" Daisuke smirked.

"Isn't that the other one?" Kouga asked, taking notice of Kana.

"Looks like it," Daisuke whistled.

"Who's that coming towards them?" Kouga asked, seeing a shady-looking man coming towards the girls.

"I don't know… a customer- we must remember their profession!" Daisuke joked, but his laughter was short-lived because of Inutaisho's smack to Daisuke's head.

"He looks pretty familiar with them…" Sesshomaru commented.

* * *

"How are my two lovely ladies?" he slid into the booth next to Rin.

"Fine. How are you, Boss?" Kana sucked up to him.

"The same. Sango told me you two were enjoying your spending money here."

"And?" Rin asked, taking another bite of her meal.

"Just came to pay for it."

"Special reason?" Rin asked, not afraid to sound rude.

"Yep. I want you two working again tonight. Same guys- because my sources tell me that they are here in this restaurant."

"Well, you're right, they're right behind us," Rin swooped her hand in the men's direction.

Boss took a glance towards where Rin gestured and smirked. "Once you're done, I'll pay. Then I want you over there, hooking your prey for the night."

"Whatever," Rin sighed.

* * *

Boss paid for our meal, not even blinking when the bill came, that bastard.

I did as I was told and went over to the men's table to 'chat' and flirt.

Kana was doing wonders, even though she was still slightly scared because of Kouga's crazy wife.

We talked, and Daisuke soon bought us a couple of alcohol-infested drinks.

I kept pretending it was really my savior I was talking to, not this perverted noisy man.

But Boss's hopes were acquired. They kept us with them, waiting for the sun to go down so they could truly have us…

* * *

"So, do you two know a good place to eat dinner around here?" Inutaisho asked the girls after taking a tour of New York.

Kana said quickly, "Rin would know best. I just started living here a couple of days ago."

Inutaisho switched his attention to Rin, "Is that right? Well, Rin, there any good places around here that real New Yorkers eat at?"

"There are a few places, but most of them probably aren't five-star like you must be used to," Rin said sweetly, hoping that they'd keep her and Kana around.

Inutaisho smiled, "No worries. Most of us weren't born into high society," he laughed, "Just me and Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru…

The rest of the car smiled, all except Rin's savior, Sesshomaru, and encouraged Rin to think of where they could eat.

"Well, I like this one place closer to the suburbs," Rin thought aloud, "It serves some great pizza and wings, if you like that kind of food."

"That would be great," Inutaisho smiled and patted Rin's shoulder. "Tell the driver where to go, please- and the meal's on me."

* * *

Sesshomaru…

Sesshomaru…

What a name- what a person to match it.

I gazed at him from the corners of my eyes… could this be a childish crush?

Maybe.

But I can pretend, right?

It's not like I ever really had a chance to be a child… a teenager.

I grew up too fast.

And not in the way I imagined… but when I had dreams of falling in love, getting married.

I guess I gave up those dreams a long time ago.

Dreaming gets you nowhere here.

But now, it makes me wish I could have the life every little girl dreams of…

To have someone care, but…

How could someone care?

* * *

A/n: I always imagined Inutaisho to be really… chivalrous. So that's was he's acting like everyone's knight in shining amour. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn," Kouga sighed as the group rode the elevator to their hotel rooms.

"What?" Daisuke asked, his arm draped over Rin's shoulders.

Kouga was looking at his phone, "Ayame's waiting for me at my room," he closed he phone and growled. "Sorry, but I can't take... uh, what's her name? Oh, right, Kana."

Daisuke thought for a moment then lifted his arm off of Rin's shoulders, "Well then, I'll spend the night with Kana- a new addition to my womanizing skills," he brought the blonde over to his side. "And you, Sesshomaru," he pointed to the cryptic man, "will take Rin to your room..."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow as Daisuke pushed Rin into his chest, "Unlike you, Daisuke, I have no need for women like her." Sesshomaru helped Rin straighten, but than left her standing a healthy distance away.

"I'll even pay for her..." Daisuke teased, taunting Sesshomaru.

Kouga slyly grinned, "Yeah Sesshomaru. Take her, you know you want her."

Sesshomaru threateningly growled and glared at the two perverted men, "I will not accept such impious from the likes of you two."

Kouga and Daisuke unconsciously took a safe step back and quickly dispersed from the elevator when it opened.

Daisuke took out his wallet after Kouga scampered off to his room and pulled out a wad of money. He whispered to Rin, "Stay with him no matter what. If you're still here in the morning, I'll double this for you." And he left with Kana to his room.

Inutaisho stood with his son and Rin, contemplating the situation. "Just take her to your room, Sesshomaru," he said. "Talk with her... have some social conversation- something. You need to talk more, son." And he walked off into his own room, leaving Sesshomaru and Rin alone in the hallway, outside of Sesshomaru's room.

Sesshomaru stood there, staring at Rin, not quite sure what to make of the situation.

"I can go, if you really want me to..." Rin tried to get the man to say something instead of staring her down.

"No."

Rin's eyes widened and she gaped openly.

"You're already paid for... might as well use you."

Sesshomaru effortlessly turned and unlocked his door, not waiting for her to follow.

She did eventually follow, after fruitlessly trying to comprehend the situation.

* * *

He... 

But I thought-

No, I'm just not-

But what if...?

Use... me?

I thought he was on a higher standard than that.

Of course I'd rather him over any other customer I've ever had...

But-

But what?

I'm getting paid, aren't I?

Double if I'm here in the morning.

Right.

Money...

Sex...

That's all I'm good for.

* * *

Sesshomaru gestured for Rin to sit down on his couch in the room across from the bedroom. 

Rin sat, wondering what he could possibly want to do to her on the couch.

A weird fetish, maybe?

Sesshomaru sat on the love-seat directly across from her, staring at her once again.

"Um..." Rin tried hesitantly to speak in the awkward silence, "I don't know what to address you as... you being Japanese and all."

Sesshomaru seemed to shift strangely, almost as if a silent chuckle went through his system. "Call me as you please, seeing that you're so knowledgeable in the Japanese culture," he slyly mocked her.

Rin stayed silent, catching the slightest hint that, in fact, he was making fun of her.

It stayed silent, and Rin felt as if she could eat the thick awkwardness in the air.

Sesshomaru seemed to be thinking deeply, but kept his golden gaze on the young girl.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Rin asked, finally breaking the unbearable silence.

He chose his words carefully, "Because I can't figure out how a young girl like you... became what you are."

He avoided the word they both knew described Rin- prostitute.

Rin went wide-eyed and stiff, like how she usually became around this strange man.

Sesshomaru opened his mouth again, "How did you become what you are?"

Rin stayed silent, double-shocked from the question.

They sat there in a less-awkward silence, waiting for Rin's reply.

She stared down at her lap, letting her dark bangs fall, covering her eyes. She finally said quietly, almost too softly to hear, "How could someone care?"

* * *

I silently cried after saying that, really wondering exactly what I'd said. 

How **could** someone care?

No one had cared for me since my father died.

My mother didn't care; she killed herself for daddy, not even thinking of what would become of me.

The people at the orphanage didn't care; they decided to gossip about my mother and what a bad family I had instead of taking care of me.

Boss didn't care; he pretended he did, at first. But I quickly learned in this 'business,' his charity for young, pretty girls was just to lure them into his 'business.'

My 'friends' in the 'business' don't care; the less competition, the better.

So how could this… stranger… care?

* * *

The night brought nothing but wonderings and tears for Rin. Sesshomaru didn't 'use' her. 

He let her be.

In fact, he never had any intention of doing anything to her.

He never intended to ask her that question…

All he did was ask her that question…

And she kept up the tears, leaving Sesshomaru to go sulk in his room, wondering how the question could've upset her so much.

Sesshomaru did try to make it up to Rin; he offered her his bed while he slept on the couch.

The next morning Daisuke found Rin asleep in Sesshomaru's bed and Sesshomaru working on something. Making Daisuke assume, that in fact, they slept together and Rin had earned her double-pay.

"Good job, little Rin," Daisuke laughed as he placed a wad of money neatly on the pillow next to her sleeping head. "Nice luck you have, huh, Sesshomaru?" Daisuke teased as he left the room.

Sesshomaru stopped typing on his computer and tore his eyes away from the Word Document that read: 'I hate Daisuke' over and over again. All Sesshomaru wanted was for Daisuke to think he was busy and go away. Sesshomaru exited the 'I hate Daisuke' document and opened up what he really wanted, The People Search Engine.

"She didn't mention a last name…" Sesshomaru muttered to himself as he typed in 'Rin.'

He quickly exited out of the screen when he saw Rin wake up and stretch, and pretended to be deeply engrossed with something on the laptop's screen.

Rin found the money placed on the pillow next to her and quickly stashed it into her pocket. She made her way to the door, but was stopped suddenly by Sesshomaru's deep voice saying slyly, "You should make something of that."

Rin dropped her hand from the door and turned her head slightly, to indicate she was listening.

"Put it in a bank… something."

Rin turned to face him, "You really think I can do anything with this? That I have anywhere to put it?"

Sesshomaru kept staring at his blank screen, "Just open an account or something. Just don't give it all to whoever… owns you."

"Owns me?" Rin was taken a little aback by the statement, but blew it off. "I have to give it to my boss, for your information."

Sesshomaru just shook his head, making Rin want to explain.

"It's not like I can just… keep half of it or… something!"

Sesshomaru put his golden gaze on her face, "Who says you can't?"

Rin was slightly confused, and Sesshomaru could tell.

Sesshomaru went on, "It's not like your 'boss' is here to count the money. He won't know the difference if you only give him what Daisuke paid you upfront."

Rin comprehended what he said and looked back at him, "Where the hell could I hide the rest of it? I can't open a bank account, because I don't know much about myself. And I can't just hide it in the apartment. Boss kind of owns that." Rin finished and put her hands on her hips.

"Maybe I can help you with that."

"How? By hiding my money for me but charging me for it?"

Sesshomaru shook his head and gave her a quick glare.

"Then how?"

"Come here. I'll show you."

* * *

A/n: Sesshomaru...has a couch-sex fetish. Haha, that makes me happy. Couldn't resist poking at it! O geez. The sentence with "Sesshomaru didn't 'use' her," I accidentally almost put DID instead of DIDN'T. Hahaha, I think some of you would've hated me for that. 

Btw: 'The People Search Engine' isn't made up. Only certain people and places have it. Like government and big-time employers. It's pretty much to check criminal records, marital status, etc. So I didn't make that up.

Also, I have a poll on my profile. Check it out if you want longer/sooner updates for this story!


	6. Chapter 6

"Investments," Sesshomaru simply said, as if the word explained it all.

Rin just looked at him oddly, wondering how the hell that one word could possibly help her.

Sesshomaru took her silence as stupidity on the subject and decided to elaborate, "Investments are when you give some money to new businesses and they sooner or later pay you back with interest or you put large amounts of money into a bank account and they give you interest on keeping your money there."

"Don't I need a bank _account_ for that too?" Rin asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head, "If you give me the money, I'll invest it and split the interest profit with you 50-50."

Rin wasn't particularly satisfied with having to share the money, but it was all the chance she was going to get. "Fine," she said and counted out half of her earnings, handing one pile to Sesshomaru. "But how am I going to get my money from you? You live in Japan…"

Sesshomaru thought for a bit before saying, "I could accept a business proposal from a man here in New York. If I do that, I'll be coming here almost every month- if not more."

Rin searched for a pen and a piece of paper and wrote her apartment's address and personal cell phone number on it. "I'll be expecting you at least once a month. Either call me so I can come here, or come to this address during the day, okay? I have to work every night so don't be expecting me to answer my phone or my apartment's door once the sun goes down," and then she shot Sesshomaru a nasty death glare, "I swear that if you don't show up, I'll make sure that the entire world thinks you slept with a prostitute."

Sesshomaru was a little shocked but he took extra care to assure her that he would return as soon as possible after leaving.

* * *

Hmm… a 50-50 deal.

I can save money and see Sesshomaru at least once a month?

Maybe with this money I could do what I want…

Maybe I could buy some modest clothes…

Maybe I could take a vacation…

Maybe I can set myself free…

Free…

* * *

A few days later Sesshomaru left New York after accepting the business proposal and headed to his home in Japan, all executives, including his father, in tow.

Sesshomaru sat at his desk, faithfully typing away on his computer, dedicated to whatever business he had that day.

But his religious typing was interrupted as Inutaisho swung open the door and greeted his son, "Sesshomaru! I have something to tell you…" The older man came into Sesshomaru's office and stood before his son's desk. "We have a new executive, and I'd appreciate it if you'd treat him sort of like your personal intern…" he ushered a young-looking handsome man into the room, "I've assigned him to work with you on the project in New York so that you can show him the ropes about all this executive stuff…"

"And if I was to decline this… offer for an intern?" Sesshomaru said, not even glancing at his father or the new executive.

Inutaisho lost his smile and sternly shook his head, "Stubborn as always. Well I'll just say now it's not an 'offer.' I'm telling you to accept, or I will take you off the New York project."

Sesshomaru quickly brushed it off and 'accepted,' knowing that if he didn't return to New York, Rin would ruin him and his family's reputation.

"Hello, Mr. Takahashi. My name is Miroku Hiroshi! I must say that it's quite a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," the young man stuck out his hand to Sesshomaru, who reluctantly shook the enthusiastic man's hand. "I promise I'll be one of the best executives you've hired, Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Takahashi!"

Inutaisho laughed and patted Miroku's shoulder, "You don't have to address me so formally now, Miroku. You're an executive these days. Just call me Inutaisho." Inutaisho left after this, leaving Sesshomaru and Miroku in an awkward silence.

Miroku stared at Sesshomaru and nervously said, "Your father tells me that we will be traveling to New York every month or so…" The purple-eyed man tried to find something to say to make the atmosphere more tolerable.

"Yes. The project will be hard work and I will not tolerate laziness or slacking from you."

Miroku's eyes widened as he tried to assure Sesshomaru that he'd do his best, "Don't worry about me. I'll do my best!"

Sesshomaru laughed, thinking about how easy it was going to be to mess with this guy's head. "And if your best isn't good enough?"

"…"

* * *

"Rin, this is your new roommate," one of Boss's more perverted and sick slackies said as he pushed a new girl into the apartment.

Sango looked at the man and asked, "Why are we getting another roommate? Our apartment's already full."

The man laughed and turned to face the hallway outside of the apartment, ready to leave as he said, "Kana has been… taken care of."

"Taken care of?!" Rin shot up from her sitting position on the couch, watching the man with a horrified face.

"Boss found out that she was withholding money from him," the man said curtly and shut the door behind him as he left.

Rin broke down and cried, sobbing for the closest thing she had to a friend in the last eight years. Sango and the new girl tried to comfort her, but Rin couldn't be consoled.

* * *

Kana… is dead.

The closest thing I've had to a friend… dead.

We looked out for each other…

We ate lunch together…

We picked up guys together…

We only knew each other for a short time… but still.

Even if she didn't care, she made me feel like someone thought of me.

But she withheld money from Boss?

Isn't that what I'm doing?

If Boss found out that she did….

Who's to say he won't find out that… I am doing the same thing?

* * *

"I want out," Rin said to Sesshomaru the day he arrived in New York for the second time.

"Out?" he asked, not quite sure what the English slang phrase meant.

"I can't save my money with you like this. I can't hide the money from Boss…"

"Why not?"

"Kana… that blonde… did something similar, and well, Boss killed her," Rin looked at the ground, fighting back her tears.

Sesshomaru stayed impassive, but said, "Where was she hiding it?"

Rin looked up from the ground, "I d-don't know."

Sesshomaru sighed and looked back at her, "There's no way your 'boss' can find out about what we're doing. You're not hiding the money in your pockets or something so… crude. You're hiding it in a way nobody but us will know about." Sesshomaru waved her off, deciding not to address the matter anymore.

Rin thought about it, and finally decided the he was right… but she was too proud to admit it. So with out another word, Rin angrily threw the money she had saved at Sesshomaru and stepped heavily out of his hotel room without another word.

Miroku passed Rin coming out of Sesshomaru's room and quickly jumped out of the mad (and beautiful, he noted) woman's way.

He walked to the flung-open door and called out to Sesshomaru, "You're still alive, right, Sesshomaru?" The young man walked into the hotel room to hear his boss's son chuckling. "Why are you laughing? From the looks of that girl, I would have thought that she killed you…"

"No. She'd never do that…" Sesshomaru took another swig of his wine, "She wouldn't get her money if she killed me."

Miroku thought about what Sesshomaru was implying, but he decided to conceal his dirty thoughts from the silver-haired man.

Miroku was about to leave his business associate when Sesshomaru suddenly called after him, "Would you like to have dinner together, Miroku?"

Miroku was surprised beyond all belief, but gladly accepted the invitation.

* * *

A/n: Sorry it's short and/or grammatically horrible. I have no beta at this point in time…


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n:** I'm not dead, I swear.

* * *

"Sango?"

"Whaaaaaaat?" A lump in Sango's bed replied.

"Come on Sango, time to get out of bed!" Rin pulled the sheets off her roommate. "Boss told me that we're to be by the rich Japanese company's hotel again."

"Sounds… not exciting," Sango moaned as she sat up and stretched.

"Hey, no half-assing it. They pay really well."

"I suppose…" Sango quickly got ready and joined Rin in a cab that took them to the hotel's street.

* * *

I've got to get paid well tonight.

I don't care if I have to sleep with one of the jerks.

I'm going to save.

And I'm going to be free.

I'm going to be a human being.

* * *

"No way…" Daisuke pressed his face against the limo's darkened window.

"What now?" Kouga asked the man, annoyed. "Not another giant rat or rock star, I hope?"

"It's that girl! The prostitute! The real pretty one…" Daisuke pointed to Rin on the street. "Driver, pull over!"

"Again? That poor girl is going to die if she is forced to spend another night with you…" Inutaisho mocked Daisuke.

"Very funny. It's been over _six_ months since I've seen her..." Daisuke quickly picked up Rin and the girl with her and sat them down in the limo. "This one is mine," Daisuke put his arm around Rin. "And this one is a little present for Miroku," he gestured for the girl to sit next to the youngest man.

"Hello again," Inutaisho smiled at the familiar face. "Who is this lady?"

"She's Sango…" Rin replied, slightly wriggling in Daisuke's arms.

"Where's Kana?" Kouga asked with disappointment when he didn't get a girl.

"Six feet under." Sango bluntly stated.

* * *

I received a pleasant sum from the pervert.

I'm going to pull this off.

I really am.

It's still hard to believe…

* * *

"Sleep well?" Sesshomaru asked before Rin even knocked on his door.

Rin glared at his smiling face and stuck her tongue out. "If that's what you're calling it, sure."

Sesshomaru quickly counted her stashed money and entered the numbers into his computer.

"How much have I got now?"

"Taking my cut out, you have over seven thousand."

Rin smiled at the numbers flashing on Sesshomaru's computer, "After this month, I think I'll have enough to-"

Sesshomaru looked at the window she suddenly looked at and saw nothing. "What did you see?"

Rin pursed her lips and looked back to Sesshomaru's golden eyes. "I thought I saw someone through the window. But we're on the fifth floor, aren't we?"

"Yes. It's probably just a janitor cleaning the windows. Why are you so jumpy?"

"Ever since Kana was killed I've been a little on edge."

Sesshomaru swiftly stood and walked over to his cell phone and called his limo driver.

"Where are you going?" Rin asked.

"Dinner. Come with me, I think there's somebody watching us through that window and it's no janitor."

* * *

"Thanks for picking up the tab," Rin said to her companion as they exited the restaurant.

Sesshomaru nodded in response and sat himself in his limo. "Are you sure that you don't want a ride?"

"Yeah. The night's still young, and I can still earn a few bucks before the sun comes up."

Sesshomaru nodded again and was driven off quickly as Rin crossed the street to find more patrons.

* * *

"Do you and Rin have a thing?" Inutaisho asked his son.

Silence.

"I've just noticed that she always stops by your room after she's done with Daisuke."

More impeccable silence.

"Not that I mind, you know, if you're interested in that kind of thing, since the whole arranged marrige-"

"Stop."

"Well, if you like this girl, you have every right to. Just be careful. Don't be like your brother and his pregnant girlfriend."

"Inuyasha finally told you?"

"Yes. Of course Kikyo won't be marrying him now. But I suppose this is for the best. Inuyasha loves that Kagome a lot and I won't stop them; I just can't let him be the next CEO."

Sesshomaru let out a small, rare laugh. "Guess I'm a bit of a shoe-in then?"

"Yes. You've finally filled your life's goal, son: firing your brother. Now, what are you going to do?"

Silence.


	8. Chapter 8

Ouch…

Where am I?

…am I dead?

My head is still on… sit up slowly now… okay.

What happened?

Think, Rin, think… Sesshomaru let me out of the car… and then what?

I think I need to lay back down…

* * *

"Rin? RIN! R…I…N!"

Rin opened her eyes slightly to see Sango's worried face above her. "What happened to me?"

Sango pursed her lips and sat lightly on the edge of the couch where Rin had been carelessly laid. "I'm not sure. I was out all night and this morning and found you here. Rin, are you okay? You're face is red and you look pretty beat up."

"I don't remember what happened. I just hurt all over…" Rin slowly sat up and held her head to quell the dizzy spell.

A loud noise alerted Rin to the presence of another in the apartment. "What are you doing, just lazing around, you dope?"

Sango rolled her eyes and glared at the woman walking through the door. "Rin, this is Jakotsu, our new roommate. She's a bitch."

The other woman glared and went on her way, saying to Rin as she passed, "Better fix your face. I know it wasn't much to work with in the first place, but since Boss beat you it looks even worse."

Rin stared, confounded. "Boss…?"

"You know, **the** boss… So you're ugly, deceptive, and stupid?"

"What?" Sango yelled at the woman's smirking face.

"Just look at that face! And spending all that time in a hotel with a wealthy man and not showing the dough for it?! With no-"

"When did you see that?!" Rin yelled back, only to regret it because of her throbbing head.

Jakotsu smiled, a smile not associated with good. "I've been following you, for Boss. He's been suspicious of you since that Kana whore hid money from him… What a shame, you can't even remember the little talk he gave you last night, after that man of yours dropped you off. You're lucky that you are not dead. Boss said that he'd be gracious, since he can't find your stash. But remember, the moment he finds it... you're done.

"Maybe if Boss receives a little note from you with the hidden cash, he'll forget this whole little incident. Better watch out, missy." Jakutso gave the pair a pseudo-smile and shut her bedroom's door.

* * *

These bruises… they're all over.

How can I get money like this?

* * *

"How did you get those bruises?" Sesshomaru asked after Rin had knocked on his door a couple of weeks after her beating.

Rin looked ashamed and flinched, saying nothing to her tall companion. The bruises were still healing, and she hadn't managed to get any real money to speak for.

"Humph." Sesshomaru sighed and let Rin into his basically home-away-from-home hotel room. "I don't care, I'm just curious," he muttered to himself under his breath.

Rin sat by his desk and tried her best to explain the situation. "With these bruises, I can't get any business. I've only got fifty bucks in the last two weeks. And I need my share of the money, because the boss thinks I'm stashing money away and meeting the same guy, AKA you, without telling him. If I don't give him a serious amount of money the next time he shows up at my place, I'm done for."

Sesshomaru shrunk back into the hotel desk chair and sighed. "We can go to the bank right now and get the money."

* * *

Back at his hotel, Sesshomaru handed several thick industrial envelopes from different banks and holders to Rin, who looked on the numbers written on the sides.

"Sesshomaru, half of this is yours. There's over fourteen thousand here…"

"I know. Keep it. That money is inconsequential to me," Sesshomaru walked nonchalantly to his faithful laptop and started back at his incessant typing. "Some of those are bank notes. You can cash them later."

Rin stood by the hotel room door, dumbfounded by her changed circumstance. "Sesshomaru… you- I mean… I can't tell you how appreciative I am. I-"

There was a knock at the door and Sesshomaru pointed for Rin to answer it.

"Sess- oh, Rin… hello. Sesshomaru! Turn on you television right now," Miroku ran into the study and pointed anxiously to the T.V.

"_-prostitute of a popular ring in the city. The wealthy Sesshomaru Takahashi, son and heir of Inutaisho Takahashi, president of a major chain of companies in Tokyo, has been filmed with a prostitute on a regular basis while in the city for business. Repots say the name of the woman is Rin, last name unknown, and she frequents the high-class hotels. There is no word as to whether President Takahashi is aware of his son's partying here in New York. Now to John, who is standing by outside the young heir's hotel where the police are awaiting the couple's next outing to arrest and question the two. John?"_

Rin stood across from the T.V., silently going into shock when Sesshomaru clicked the news off and went straight for his cell phone.

"What are we going to do?" Rin asked, on the verge of tears.

Miroku remained silent and looked to Sesshomaru, who was briskly and inaudibly rattling off commands through the phone in concise Japanese.

Sesshomaru hung up and looked straight at Rin's bruised eyes and said, "We are going to Japan."

* * *

Yes, I made Jakotsu a woman. He's gay anyways.

And yes, I totally stole Sesshomaru's line in episode 35: "How did you get those bruises? Humph. I don't care, I'm just curious."


	9. Chapter 9

"I can't leave yet."

Sesshomaru turned from packing his suitcase to stare begrudgingly at Rin. "Why not? Neither of us can be found here, especially together, after that news report. The most logical thing to do would be to leave the country. Japanese leaders will not expedite us back here because of the Takahashi's influence."

Rin bit her lip slightly before answering, "I can't leave my best friend. Boss is sure to find out about that news report and recognize e in those videos. He knows that Sango and I are best friends! He might kill her to find out what's happened! I can't leave her."

Sesshomaru looked to Miroku and waved him over to tell him that he was responsible for finding Sango and bringing her to the hotel as well as adding another ticket to their travel reservations. Rin quickly wrote down the apartment's address and borrowed Sesshomaru's cell phone to warn Sango. Miroku briskly left after calling their personal driver to meet him at the back of the hotel for secrecy purposes.

"You'd really bring her… just like that?"

* * *

Why would he bring her?

Why would or should he care, much less about me, but my best friend, who he's only seen like, once?

How?

I can't figure out Sesshomaru.

He tells me he doesn't care about me but he's shown things completely different!

He gives me all of the money from our 'shared' investments.

He gave me money the first time we met to cover Kana's share for Boss…

And now he's going out of his way to protect my best and only friend in the world…

But I don't know if she's my only friend now… Sesshomaru seems like a friend… or maybe he should be classified as an ally?

I don't really understand the situation. It's been like, a whole year since I've met this weird guy.

I've never had so much contact with one guy since mom killed herself... how many years ago?

I don't really remember… I think I'm 19 now?

When's my birthday? And when was the last time someone celebrated it?

* * *

Rin snapped out of her inner thoughts when the door opened for Miroku to step in with a frazzled-looking Sango in tow.

"Rin? Miroku told me what happened." Sango embraced Rin tightly and let out a couple of tears. "I can't imagine how it would feel like to find that you were gone without a trace tomorrow."

"He told you that you're coming with us, right?"

Sango nodded and pointed to a couple of beat-up bags. "I brought some stuff for you too. Though… I threw it together quite hastily."

"Thanks, Sango. It'll be fine. We can wash them constantly." Rin smiled; glad to have Sango near her to calm her down.

"We can stop somewhere in Tokyo and get you two some clothes that are… less conspicuous," Sesshomaru said just loudly enough to be heard by the embracing girls.

Rin stepped away from Sango and laughed at Sesshomaru. "You mean that you don't want us wearing our hooker clothes in Japan?" Rin managed to say between giggles.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, smiling to himself at Rin's little joke. "Quickly get your things, Miroku. And meet us in the hotel restaurant's kitchen. I've arranged for us to… 'escape' through their alley exit."

"Alighty," Miroku smiled slightly towards Sango, then speed-walked out of the room and down the hallway.

Rin pretended not to see the look that Miroku had flashed her friend, and Sango pretended that she didn't see Rin see Miroku.

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan, one flight and limo ride later**

Sesshomaru spoke in quick Japanese to the driver, so quickly that Rin didn't understand and looked to Miroku for a translation.

"He's telling the driver to stop at a clothing store to find you two something more suiting to wear."

Rin and Sango simply nodded, quite shocked by the time-zone differences that they were facing. Sesshomaru and Miroku, who dealt with the change every month, seemed used to the incredible change.

"Go quickly and find a couple of weeks' worth of clothing. I will pay when you are finished," Sesshomaru shooed the girls into a store and set them forth on their task.

* * *

Many worn salespeople and dressing-room runs later, the girls had a much more… modest collection of clothing and shoes. Sesshomaru whipped out a sleek, shiny credit card and didn't even glance at the price, which Rin could only fathom from the few price tags she saw in the process.

They quickly piled into the limousine again and Rin asked her silver-haired companion, "Why are you paying for this stuff anyways?"

Sesshomaru didn't hesitate with his response, "Because to make sure the rumor in New York doesn't become some kind of scandal, I must make you two look like innocent, Japanese girls who couldn't possibly be prostitutes. Our next stop is the hair and makeup salon."

"What's wrong with our hair and makeup?" Sango asked, a bit put off.

Sesshomaru shook his head, like he was being asked where his head was located. "A lot is wrong with your hair and makeup."

Sango shrugged, almost accepting it. "Dressing like we do, doing things the way we do… It's the only way we know how to do them. It's no big shock to know that we don't really look like model-class citizens."

* * *

"No!" Rin protested as Sesshomaru instructed the hair beauticians to strip the streaks out of her hair as well as Sango's.

"They must come out, and if they don't, dye their hair a natural brown or black color," Sesshomaru stated to the obedient workers, who decided not to question the handsome man who rented their salon out for secrecy purposes.

"I like my hair this way!" Sango protested, the stylists beginning to mix a chocolate brown color to mask its current bleached blonde color.

After protesting for a while, the girls figured that they weren't going to win the battle, and soon submitted to the treatments and scissors of the beauticians as Sesshomaru and Miroku went for a stroll until their 'change' was over.

"Look at you two!" Miroku smiled at the two newly-redone girls. "You both look great!"

It was true, for the harshness of their hair and the over-done faces were gone. Even Sango's fake tan had faded a few shades and toned down the, well… hooker look.

Sango's medium-cut hair was a nice chocolate brown, with hints of caramel. No longer were her eyes lined with an inch of black liner, but instead glowed a light brown from a beautiful natural look.

Rin had been pretty before, but her true beauty was now evidently clear from the way her new hair shined a radiant black/brown color and her facial features stood out through their own natural way.

The men took a moment to soak them both in, and Sesshomaru decided that it was worth every penny to see Rin like this… natural, like she could have never been touched by the foul world she lived in. If Rin hadn't become what she was in New York, she probably would have grown up in the light that Sesshomaru now saw her in.

"Thank you for your expertise, ladies," Miroku complimented the professionals that had given the girls a chance to hide from the obscenities they would have to face from New York.

* * *

What did I do to deserve this man's kindness?

He says that he does these things for his own image, but I know different.

I have been around this silver-haired beauty long enough to have a peek into his interior.

His interior, I think, is quite capable of friendship and love.

He just can't show it, can he?

* * *

A/N: There was a lot more description and less dialogue in this chapter. That's surprising, because I really love dialogue.

Btw, don't ever expect me to post this fast ever again. ;P


	10. Chapter 10

Rin and Sango were swept back into Sesshomaru's limousine and brought to the outskirts of the large city. The less-populated and less-hectic surrounding rural area, Miroku explained, is much preferable to the Takahashi family and their estate. After driving through a great deal of traffic in the city and a short, more scenic ride in the outskirts, the group arrived in front of a large traditional Japanese estate. The girls had little time to marvel at the magnificence of it before Sesshomaru herded them indoors.

"You both will stay here until this… scandal is settled and dead," Sesshomaru quickly showed them the main living rooms, dinning room, and kitchen. "Things around here run an inflexible schedule, but the maids will keep you on track by telling you when meals are served or when you are expected."

"Thank you for keeping us sheltered and whatnot, Mr. Takahashi, but when is this 'scandal' of yours and Rin's gonna go away?" Sango asked.

"I cannot say when things will settle. It might not, ever."

"Well, we can't stay in here, no matter how beautiful 'here' is, forever. And it's not like anyone around here is gonna be much company… do the maids or anybody speak English? I can't exactly do the Japanese-speaking thing," Sango lamented, though politely, to the silver-haired caretaker.

"There are some who speak acceptable basic English. However, because of a recent mishap of my half-brother's, there will be a pregnant woman staying here. From my accounts, she did study quite a bit of English in high school and college. She is close in age to you both. If you wish for companionship, meeting her quickly can be arranged."

"I didn't think Inutaisho would be the type to have a scandalous affair…" Rin commented.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened a bit and hastily asked, "You thought Inutaisho was my half-brother?"

Rin stared back, a bit bewildered. "Yeah. He… isn't? He looks so similar to you!"

"Haven't you heard him address me? It's almost always 'son.'"

"Son? Holy crap, he's your father?" Sango looked a bit freaked, even with Miroku at her side.

"I've never paid attention to what he calls you… especially since you usually speak in Japanese to each other… He's your DAD? Really? He looks so young! And it's not like you're fifteen or something…"

"My family has… issues, with aging, I suppose. But, well, he's really quite old. And he's committed a very infamous scandal. My actual half-brother, Inuyasha, was born to a mistress. It was quite the jarring occurrence for my family and company. My half-brother is _basically_ doing the same."

"Wow. Your family is proving to be quite… human, Mr. Takahashi," Sango commented, not seeing the weird look on Sesshomaru's face.

* * *

Well, this should prove to be… a unique experience to say the least.

I've been swept into a foreign nation, made-over, and basically been told the life story of my silver-haired savior.

And now I'm staying in a fairytale-like estate, with my fairytale-like knight in shining armor.

I-

I don't even know how to describe what I'm feeling…?

Maybe once I've got some sleep in me, I'll know.

It's all a bit confusing, I suppose.

* * *

"So, you're Rin and Sango? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kagome Higurashi."

Rin and Sango smiled at the very pregnant Japanese woman and exchanged pleasantries.

"Your English is quite outstanding, Kagome," Sango complimented Kagome, slightly embarrassing their new friend. "I'm so glad I can understand you! I'm awful with accents, not to mention understanding foreign languages."

"Thank you very much; I've studied quite a bit in the English language. I wanted to be a diplomat for a long time, which requires a lot of language skills."

"What made you change your mind about becoming a diplomat?" Rin asked.

Kagome loving stoked her jutted-out belly and replied, "Inuyasha, I think. I fell in love fast and hard. And when I found out I was pregnant, I knew this would come before anything else. One day, maybe I'll go get a teaching license and teach language… but it's not like I'll need to be making money. Even though Inuyasha will not become CEO, he's a valuable asset to the company."

"What's Inuyasha like? We've only met Sesshomaru and Inutaisho," Sango asked, genuinely wondering if the silver hair thing was unavoidable in the family and if the guy was a silent-kind-of-prick or a sweet-smiling man.

Kagome thought for a moment, trying to put her fiancé into words. "He's got that thick silvery hair and gold eyes. He's a bit like his father, but a lot angrier… he's a big puppy when he's happy though. These days it actually is rare to find him angry. It usually takes Sesshomaru to piss him off now."

Rin looked a bit startled and inquired about that last comment, "Sesshomaru makes him angry? I can't see Sesshomaru caring about much… all he seems to do is type on his computer and brood all the time. How could he get Inuyasha angry?"

"Well, I think Sesshomaru has always directed his anger at his father for cheating on his mother towards Inuyasha, the product of Inutaisho's affair. That, and well…"

"What?" Sango asked, soaking in as much as she could from Kagome.

Kagome looked a bit saddened and lowered her voice a bit, assuring no one but the three of them could hear. "Sesshomaru had his heart broken quite a number of years ago… he's never really gotten over it."

Rin almost gasped, grasping why Sesshomaru was… Sesshomaru. "So he… I think he's jealous of Inuyasha and you…"

Kagome shrugged, "Maybe. You would know best, I think. From what I hear from Inutaisho, you are the only one that he's really talked to and not been angry with in years, since him and his wife divorced."

"They were married?" Rin asked, almost shocked into having an aneurism.

"It was arranged, from what I've heard. Inuyasha told me that he fell in love with her before they married, but she wasn't into him. I guess it really hurt for him, as told by rumors, to walk in on her bedding another man in his house. After that night, he moved back here to live with Inutaisho, Izayoi, and Inuyasha. She left him for the other guy shortly after that."

* * *

So Sesshomaru does feel…

Poor Sesshomaru.

I think now, for sure, that money can't buy everything.

* * *

A/n: I have no idea what the layout of Tokyo is, if there's a rural area surrounding it, and whatnot. I've never been, nor do I think anyone will be outraged by my… imagination… when it comes to these things.

Btw: **Thanks for all the support**, even if I'm an awful person by never updating! I'm so sorry this is dang short too...


	11. Chapter 11

Almost two weeks had passed since the scandal had broken loose in New York and the rumors were well-known to every major business and gossiper in contact with the Takahashi company. Rin had been informed by one of the maids that dinner was ready in the dinning room, and that she should be prepared to speak with Inutaisho, who had just arrived home.

"-damage control hasn't really worked," Rin walked in on the usual setting, with Inutaisho and another raven-haired beauty in the usually empty seats. "Hello, Rin. My, you and Sango look quite wonderful. I've just returned from New York with my wife. Izayoi, this is the famous Rin. Rin, this is my wife, Izayoi."

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Takahashi," Rin remembered he parents' teachings of proper greetings in Japan and offered a bow.

Izayoi stood from her chair and pulled the petite woman into a hug. "Nonsense, nonsense. Call me Izayoi. I appreciate formalities, but not with my guests!" Izayoi pulled away and gave Rin a dazzling smile. Rin understood how this beautiful lady had won Inutaisho, with her looks and matching personality.

"Thank you for letting Sango and I stay in your lovely home," Rin smiled back and took her seat next to Sango. "I believe I interrupted something. Please, continue."

Inutaisho quickly went back to addressing Sesshomaru, "The rumors are still rampant and the other company has broken off our deal. No need to return. Fortunately, your clairvoyance has proved to be accurate regarding our influence with the Japanese government. They will not expedite you or Rin for questioning. As long as neither of you set foot on U.S. territory, this should die soon.

"However, companies are now… wary of our honesty and integrity. We will have to regain trust and put the proverbial nail in the coffin of this rumor somehow," Inutaisho offered a visualization of hammering a nail with his empty hands.

"How we gonna do that?" Inuyasha asked with a heavy accent and food stuffed in his mouth.

Inutaisho proceeded with a bit of hesitation, "U.S. agents assigned to this case are willing to make some sort of deal. They want Rin's assistance in busting her prostitution ring in return for amnesty. That, along with making her appear in the public eye as an innocent girl will put this to rest, I think."

"Why should Rin cooperate when the Japanese government isn't going to send her back?" Sango asked the intelligent leader of the table.

"I brought that up to them, and they supposed that Rin wouldn't want to stay in Japan forever."

Rin piped up after quickly swallowing a bite of food, "I would rather stay in Japan then go back there any day… but, do you think they'd be willing to trade something else?"

Inutaisho quirked and eyebrow and stoked his chin. "Possibly. Do you wish for me to ask? What would you want in return?"

Rin looked down in an ashamed and embarrassed sort of way when she answered, "I want my birth certificate."

The table turned the answer over in their minds, wondering why she would possibly value her birth certificate so much.

Izayoi was the first to voice her question, "Why your birth certificate?"

Rin looked her straight in the eye, after finally deciding that she was going have the resolve to follow this through. "I want to know things. Things everyone takes for granted. I want to know my full name, first of all. And my parents' names."

The women at the table, especially the very pregnant, very hormonal Kagome, looked to be on the verge of tears.

Rin sighed and let herself shed a couple of tears before continuing, "I want to know how old I am."

Izayoi was openly crying for the young girl and practically leapt from her seat to embrace the girl. Sango and Kagome shortly followed, and the four exited the dinning room in tears, leaving a bit of an awkward moment for the men.

"Well, you've got some serious baggage to deal with, Sesshomaru. Interesting taste in women," Inuyasha reverted back to their native tongue, not daring to smirk because even a slightly pissy young man felt sympathy for the girl.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to his hated rival and glared, causing even their powerful father to fear. "Do not mock me."

"Oh, so you do fancy her? Hmm, quite interesting… very interesting," Inuyasha crossed his arms and finally dared to smirk.

"Are you assuming that I care for a common whore?" Sesshomaru asked, devoid of any infliction.

Inutaisho stood and threw a knife at Inuyasha, who caught it a few centimeters from his face. "_Dad?_ What the hell?"

"Leave it. I do not wish to knock you unconscious when Kagome is days away from giving birth to your own child," Inutaisho scolded his younger son, a rare thing for the cool and collected man. "Now, finish your food elsewhere. Sesshomaru and I need to talk."

Inuyasha picked up his plate as well as his wife's and grumbled angrily while stomping out of the room, much like a child.

Inutaisho sat back in his seat, looking at the ever-silent Sesshomaru on his left. "Rin… Rin didn't choose that life for herself, Sesshomaru."

"You are so sure?"

"Yes. She doesn't know her whole name, Sesshomaru. Not even her age! Doesn't that make you come to the conclusion that she has been doing what she's been doing from a _young_ age? I don't think small children sleep with old perverts for money by choice," Inutaisho shook his head at his silent son. "I thought I raised you to be considerate or at least some what compassionate, Sesshomaru. You're acting like you don't even have a brain! Have you even found out anything, really absorbed anything, from being around Rin? I thought that maybe you were interested in something for the first time in years, with you spending so much time with her!

"It's a good thing your marriage didn't work out, and now I really know why it didn't. If you have feelings somewhere inside yourself, you can't damn-well show them! No one wants that, Sesshomaru; no one wants to _be_ around that! If you hurt Rin, kiss you job and your lifestyle goodbye.

"You should thank your damn lucky stars that Rin was not in the room to hear your foul comment, because I would have beaten the shit out of you."


	12. Chapter 12

A/n: Suck it.

Three chapters, two days, shiznicks.

* * *

Is this what it feels like?

People _caring_?

This is so foreign to me.

I haven't felt a mother's touch in years…

I've wanted earnest contact for so long.

I think I've brought good upon myself.

If I can just help bust the man who busted my life, who took advantage of a helpless little girl… maybe I can have a life.

What I've always dreamed of.

* * *

The women were having a nice crying session in Izayoi's room when they heard crashing and smashing coming from another part of the estate.

"What's going on?" Rin asked, trying to wipe all the tears off her face, becoming concerned about the noise.

"We shouldn't have left those boys alone…" Izayoi sighed. "Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are probably fighting. Let's go find out. I wonder why my husband hasn't intervened yet…"

The women quickly followed Izayoi towards the unwavering crashes that unsurprisingly led back to the dinning room. Surprisingly, however, were the participants.

Izayoi blanched at the sight, screaming at her husband and Sesshomaru, "Stop! Stop! No blood on my dining room set! I'll kill you two! Ah, you broke my china cabinet!" She made no move to come between the vicious fighting, which prompted Sango and Rin to stay back as well.

"Izayoi, I'm going to find Inuyasha!" The very pregnant woman rushed off, though hindered with her waddling towards hers and Inuyasha's shared quarters.

Rin and Sango stood in the entrance, shocked, at what they were witnessing. The animalistic and primal way they two were clashing was… not human. Faces were drawn into sneers, teeth were ominously bared, and they were both _growling_. Not to mention the immense _speed_ that they managed to move around the enclose room with. Rin half expected a director to shout 'cut' and the green screen to be pulled up, for the sight before them was straight out of The Matrix.

"Boys! There are women present!" Izayoi screamed at the two, who, once realizing that there were, in fact, two extra human girls, froze. "Now calm yourselves. I think you took ten years off these poor girls' lives."

Inutaisho looked basically unharmed, save for a nice set of bloody claw marks across his left arm. Sesshomaru's shirt had been ripped open, covered in blood. When Rin saw, she innocently ran to him, shocked by the amount of blood covering his chest. When Inutaisho saw her reaction, he glared at his eldest son.

Rin grabbed a cloth napkin to dab at the blood, and was shocked to find that his cuts were literally shrinking away in front of her eyes.

Inutaisho groaned with exasperation while shaking his head. "Well, I guess the proverbial cat is out of the bag. I suppose some semblance of an explanation is in order."

Sango looked from Sesshomaru's self-stitching chest to Inutaisho and said, "Uh, well yeah. You are not human. This is weird! What the fuck?"

Inuyasha chose to, at this very heavy moment, to appear with Kagome in tow. "What the crap happened?"

"There was a discord," Izayoi calmly stated as she wiped off the half-dried blood from her husband's shoulder.

Inuyasha sat down across from Sesshomaru, asking him with his eyes if the secret was safe. Sesshomaru moved his eyes back down to the girl still trying to 'help' his closing lacerations. Inuyasha merely took that as a no and fiddled with his ever-present hat nervously.

"Well, Sango dear, my family is a bit special. We aren't exactly, uh, human," Inutaisho tried to put his words very delicately.

Rin paused with her ministrations, turning to the oldest man. "That's a bit apparent. Sesshomaru told me once that you all 'had trouble aging' and that your family always has that silver hair and golden eyes. Is that to due with the… inhuman thing?"

Inutaisho looked at his son, surprised he let something so revealing slip. "Yes. To put this plainly, Sesshomaru and I are demons. Izayoi is human, and Inuyasha is therefore-"

"A half-demon. Got it." Rin finished for the kind ma- no, demon.

Sango looked shocked at her longest-lasting friend, "You just accept this? Demon? What the heck?"

Rin shrugged and looked from Sesshomaru to Sango before replying, "It does explain a lot. Kagome, you're human, right?"

Kagome tried her best to sound reassuring, "Technically, I'm from a long line of priestesses, which makes me a very powerful human… Are you just going to accept this, really? This is a very well-kept secret. Keeping demons under wraps is very important. Humans are not generally accepting of what is different, and especially of what is more powerful than themselves."

"I couldn't fathom blowing this for you all. You all have been so very kind to me… this is the best way that I could possibly repay you all for you generosity to me and Sango."

Sango nodded in agreement, "Just don't like, devour us in the middle of the night or something, okay. This is givin' me the heebie-jeebies."

Inutaisho laughed and reassured them that no devouring would occur.

"Oooo, now that you know," Kagome addressed the girls, "I can show you my favorite thing about Inuyasha!" She quickly flipped the half-demon's hat off and smiled brightly at the while doggie ears now sticking out of his mop of hair.

Rin immediately bounded up at Kagome's insistence to pet the furry ears and giggled at the hilarity of the situation.

She was getting more than she bargained for with her little fairytale wishes!

* * *

Is this wonderful, weird, or insane?

I have no idea.

For now, I'm sticking with wonderful with a side of weird.

* * *

The day had come two days after Inutaisho and Sesshomaru's battle in the dinning room for Kagome's baby to arrive. Rin and Sango were told that the hospital was a secret demon-only place, in case of the baby having a tail, claws, doggie ears, or any other typical demon trait. Unsurprisingly, Sesshomaru stayed behind, excuse being the awful stench of sickly demon blood. A surprisingly short labor was had, much to the joy of the household, and Inuyasha now stood next to his mother showing off his baby girl.

"She's wonderful, my son! Looks like part of the Takahashi family for sure," Inutaisho gave the swaddled baby his finger, mindful of his sharp claws.

Inuyasha smiled tenderly at his baby girl, something Rin was… jealous of, perhaps? When was the last time she had a father that had smiled at her?

"Ivaestsu is a beautiful name," Rin commented, smiling at the precious moment.

"Kagome came up with it… said it went well with the 'I' names we have in this family," Inuyasha smiled at Rin and handed the baby to her grandmother.

Only Sesshomaru stuck out, really, in this family. The one and only 'S' name.

* * *

I hope to every god, every spirit, that little Ivaestsu gets a wonderful life.

I wonder if someone wished that for me when I was born, whenever I was born, that is.

I wish this girl to never have her fairytale taken, that she gets to see her mom and dad anytime she wants.

I wish with all of my heart that she never takes them for granted.

* * *

A/n: Ivaestsu means god's great delight.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/n**: This story is now my most reviewed, most alerted, most C2s-ed, and most voted for in the polls. (It even surpassed my very first story (the epic Shinzo story, 'We're Getting There,' lol)) and I totally love y'all for it.

I wonder how this comes across though…especially because I saw all the 'countries' part of the story stats and I was like: 'Two people from Aruba? Nine people from Kuwait? Sixteen people from Japan?' And so on. I didn't know they could speak English in a lot of the places! The world (and by extent, the internet) continues to astound me.

* * *

Izayoi, Rin, and Sango left the hospital shortly after Ivaestsu was shown off to everybody. Inutaisho stayed behind, not needing sleep despite the late hour. The girls were weary, but still talkative, if only because of Izayoi's elated mood.

Rin was quiet despite the joyous vibes that permeated Izayoi's skin, and it did not go unnoticed by the all-encompassing mother, and well, grandmother.

"Rin, you certainly don't seem happy. Are you overtired, dear?" Izayoi put her arm across Rin's shoulders and smiled at the young woman.

Rin tilted her head and nodded a bit, deciding whether she should tell Izayoi what she was really feeling. Izayoi was the closest thing she'd had for a mother in a long time, and Rin felt like she could tell her things… Things that her own mother should've been hearing if she was still alive… but, then again, Rin probably wouldn't be feeling these things if her mother were still alive.

"Can I tell you… everything, Izayoi?" Rin asked, quite embarrassed to find that she had actually asked.

Izayoi's eyes widened, almost unsure as to whether or not she had heard Rin's quiet question correctly. "Everything? Why, certainly dear. You should never hesitate. When we arrive back at the estate, we shall go to my room and discuss whatever is bothering you, my sweet."

Rin looked at the woman and found herself wondering, yet again, how could someone care?

* * *

I wait for the world to implode, or the car to crash.

Or to wake up from the dream.

This is… much too… wonderful… freeing?

I finally have a mother-figure to tell my deepest feelings, the things that I haven't been able to discuss, ever.

My mother killed herself when I was too young for my 'feelings' to affect me, or have me realize I even had 'feelings' like these.

* * *

Sango left for her room after giving Rin's hand a quick squeeze, leaving the two other women to themselves in the eerily quiet foyer. Izayoi led Rin to the master bedroom and promptly gestured for Rin to take a seat at any of the available luxurious seats. Rin chose the deep blue couch, nestled in a corner and far away from the imposing bed. Rin had been around enough beds to never see one again and be happy.

Izayoi sat next to the quiet girl and waited for Rin to speak.

It took awhile before Rin gathered her strength, but Izayoi was prepared to wait, her exhaustion far from her mind.

When Rin breathed in deeply, Izayoi prepared for the worst. "My thanks to you, Izayoi, for letting me unload on you," Rin offered a slight smile and gained more courage when Izayoi entwined her hand with Rin's. So Rin shared her story. It was the first time that the story had been spoken out loud, though most was spoken through tears, and to Rin, it was the best feeling in the world.

By the time Rin had gotten to the part where Rin's dad had died, she was in tears. When it came to Rin's mother killing herself, she was silently sobbing. And when Rin described her terrifying first time, she couldn't even see through her tears.

Izayoi managed to tell Rin to wait a moment while she ran to the bathroom to grab the tissue box and wipe away her ever-steaming tears and blow her running nose. "And you didn't run away from your 'boss' then?"

"No. I was too young to really understand. All I knew was that something was happening that shouldn't happen… And when my period came a few months later, I was taken to a doctor's and told that I would 'taken care of' by the doctor. From what I can assume about what that doctor did, I can't have kids. I haven't had a period since that first one… which is why when I saw Ivaestsu, I just couldn't… appreciate. I'm jealous, I suppose. It's awful to feel that way, when everyone else is celebrating; here I am, being jealous, sucking the joy out of something so wonderful."

Izayoi's beautiful face was obscured by a frown, almost angry while she explained to Rin that it was okay to feel that, any woman would. "How old were you… when you were 'rented' the first time? Inutaisho… was quite concerned last time we spoke of you."

Rin thought hard before answering, "I'm not quite sure. There was a period of time where boss treated me like a daughter of sorts, which I now realize was a trick to get me to trust him. I can't remember how long that lasted… I think I was around eleven or twelve."

Izayoi gasped, not expecting the age to be quite so young. "You need to tell those government people that! They could really go after those people for not only their prostitution crimes, but for child abuse, child solicitation, and probably child porn!" Izayoi was outraged, if she were a demon, Rin thought, her eyes would be glowing red.

Rin was taken aback at Izayoi's outburst, but appreciated her utterly blind love. "I will tell them, but I want to put this behind me as soon as possible. I want to live as normally as I possibly can."

Izayoi chuckled and patted Rin's shoulder as she remarked, "Well, living normally is going to be quite the challenge, now that you know about the whole demon thing!"

Rin giggled along with Izayoi, glad to have some comic relief in her grim situation.

* * *

Inutaisho came back to his glorious home around noon the next day, and was flabbergasted to find two forms in his very own bed. Fearing for his wife's honor (and his own, he admitted to himself), he quickly picked up his idle sword that sat near the entrance of the room, Tessaiga. He unsheathed his great fang and quickly pulled off the bed occupants' covers.

Inutaisho was shocked, and relatively relived to find his wife hugging Rin in a tender motherly hug as they slept. Izayoi cracked an eye open and quirked her eyebrows when she saw her husband's great fang poised over his head, ready to strike. She whispered so as not to wake Rin while smiling in a way that made it clear that she was teasing, "Couldn't you smell her in here, you great big cowardly dog?"

Inutaisho shrugged and quickly sheathed Tessaiga. He quickly left while Izayoi woke Rin, so that Rin would not be embarrassed by her situation.

Finding their clothes wrinkled and tear stained, Izayoi lent Rin some of her smaller-sized clothes so that they could join Inutaisho for breakfast/lunch in the dinning room.

Rin walked lighter, feeling like she could fly because of the weight that was taken off of her shoulders from telling Izayoi so much.

The women were quite stunned to find that there was a different person than they expected at the dinning table, replacing Sango, who was nowhere to be seen. She had the silver hair and golden eyes that the dog demons seemed to all sport and wore a traditional kimono instead of the rest of the family's more updated raiment choices.

"Hello, Izayoi," the woman flatly stated in Japanese, seemingly bored to be alive. "We were just discussing the predicament that my son has found himself in. Care to join?"

"Rin, this is Susumu, Sesshomaru's mother," Inutaisho stated a bit cautiously in English, wondering whether Susumu would be plain angry with Rin or _really_ angry with Rin.

Rin's eyes widened at the introduction and quickly bowed to the creepily beautiful lady. "Hello, Susumu," Rin managed her best Japanese for the ethereal woman.

"Yes, yes. Greetings aside now, little girl. Come sit next to me, I wish to know you by scent rather than foolish pleasantries," Susumu gestured to the seat next to her, wanting her to sit there. Rin was baffled, trying to comprehend the quickly spoken Japanese.

"Mother, Rin's first language is English. Her Japanese is sparse and at a very elementary level," Sesshomaru quickly explained to Rin what Susumu had said and assured her that his mother had no intentions of getting her kimono dirty by eating her.

Susumu waited for Rin to settle next to her before inhaling her scent thoroughly, then continuing the conversation in English, "So, my son, I have had the most awful time avoiding the press. They are quite intrigued with the scandal, and for some odd reason, believe I know the cause of it all. Being the intelligent being that I am, I am baffled by this myself. Therefore, I wish to hear it from you… and this little girl."

Rin was a little bitter over the female demon's use of 'little,' but ignored it to look at Sesshomaru.

"There are a few truths in the rumors, Susumu. But what they are saying about Rin and her relationship to Sesshomaru are completely false," Izayoi spoke for the ever-quiet Sesshomaru as well as Rin, feeling the need to protect more than save herself from the killer glares that Susumu was infamous for.

"Few truths, hmmm?" Susumu gave a look to Rin and her son, making Rin instantly aware of where Sesshomaru got his coldness and of how easily the demon could kill her. "Well, I wish to know these truths."

Rin decided to speak up then, feeling like she should stand up for Sesshomaru's honor after all he had done to assure her safety and freedom. "I am- no, was, a prostitute in New York… ma'am." Rin decided to keep it safe with addressing the cold demon.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I am very sorry to have your son tangled up in my business…"

Susumu looked, for a moment, like she was not completely bored. "In your business, you said?"

Rin quickly got her meaning and explained better, "I was never… with Sesshomaru, ma'am. He helped me set myself free from an awful life, and ended up being entangled with me and construed to have slept with me for money. I'm very sorry."

Susumu mulled Rin's words over for a few quiet moments. "I understand. However-" she looked to Sesshomaru, "the public cannot be told this either. And the public must be told something, for I fear this will have a negative affect on my family as well as your business front, Inutaisho."

"And what do you suggest we tell them, Susumu?" Inutaisho asked, a bit sarcastically. No wonder she was interested, it was affecting her very precious family name, Inutaisho thought.

"Well, from footage I have seen from the original New York news, you have made her look quite a bit more respectful," Susumu stated, admiring the girl's makeover. "Could you pass her off as some sort of family? On _Izayoi's_ side?" Susumu added, making sure that they would never think of construing Rin to be from _her_ side of the family.

Izayoi didn't look offended but quickly and efficiently told off Susumu, "You forget, _Susumu_, that my family is just as recognized as yours. The lie would quickly be found out."

Susumu accepted it, but did not acknowledge that she was wrong.

Inutaisho was thinking, and thinking hard. He did agree with his ex-wife that the press, and by extension the people, had to be told something, and preferably not the truth. His thoughts were twisting and coming together quite nicely, unbeknownst to the rest of the table.

* * *

The next day, a press conference was called for Inutaisho to 'clarify' his son's 'affairs' in New York. The media was delighted to finally be able to progress the scandal's story, and by the time set up by Inutaisho, the press conference room was quite full.

The behind-the-scenes people (consisting of Izayoi, Sesshomaru, and Rin) waited and watched Inutaisho's televised statement. The table yesterday decided to tell the world that Rin was an aspiring artist, commissioned to paint Sesshomaru for his family's private art collection. It was the best they could think of.

So it came as quite a shock when Inutaisho told a very different than planned story.

* * *

**A/n**: Susumu means 'progressing.'


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Oh, the ever-intervening Inutaisho. His meddling was like, the best, most thought out, and hilarious part of the Inuyasha series.

* * *

"My son's affairs in New York have been of the…_mostly_ professional kind. While attending to business deals, under my personal watch, Sesshomaru met a young Japanese-American woman. Soon Sesshomaru, who was visiting on a monthly basis, became quite close with her. After many months of visits, my son fell in love with that young lady, Rin."

A collective GASP was had, including from the parties involved backstage.

This was not according to plan.

"A month or so ago, Sesshomaru told of me of his intentions to marry the young lady-"

Rin looked at Sesshomaru, panic clearly visible in her eyes. Her turmoil was only magnified when she saw that Sesshomaru looked like his head was about to explode. Or that he was constipated.

"So, we here at the company, as well as my family, wish for the absurd rumors to settle. It is quite demeaning to my future daughter-in-law."

The crowd burst into chatter and started shouting questions at the smiling (unknown to them) demon. Once order was established, Inutaisho took back control and pointed to a well-dressed news lady in the front row, who had her hand raised, waiting to question the CEO.

"I am Ai Nomoto, from the International Business Magazine. I was wondering, when the news of the scandal spread, why was this not addressed immediately?"

Inutaisho smiled and answered without hesitating, "We felt, at first, that it was our own business until my son felt that the public deserved the truth and also felt that he should _protect_ his fiancée's honor."

At those words, Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles as well as his neck.

Ms. Nomoto asked with a smile on her face, clearly believing their lie, "When should we expect the wedding? Also, how will a marriage affect the company's standings? Is Rin a member of the elite or an heiress to some magnificent fortune?"

Inutaisho quickly responded, "The couple has yet to decide on a date. They've also decided to mull it over here in Japan. And no, as far as my knowledge goes, Rin is not of any particular family, nor does she have her own business holdings. Unfortunately, my friends, I must end this conference. My other son's fiancée is being released from the hospital, as well as my new granddaughter, and I wish to be at the welcome home party."

The news people quickly wrote their notes, some trying to get another statement from the CEO, but all were ignored as Inutaisho walked to where his family (plus Rin, minus the Inuyasha side) waited.

Sesshomaru did not hesitate to approach threateningly, preparing his poison claws to smash through his father's body.

"Calm down, you big lug of a puppy. There are innocent little humans in just the next room; humans able to spread the word about insane killer demons quickly. This is for your own good," Inutaisho effortlessly passed the brooding Sesshomaru to place his hand on Rin's shoulder. "I hope this isn't going to give you a heart attack, my dear, but you must realize that this is the most believable and most preserving explanation. At least you will have some time to get this entire prostitution ring thing behind you before you must produce a wedding certificate."

Sesshomaru pivoted at an inhuman speed to look at his father and angrily question the superior demon, "You intend on making us go through with the lie?"

Inutaisho looked nonchalantly at his son and nodded. "Now, we must hurry to beat the rest of the family home. I have every intention of being the first to hold my granddaughter, my little Ivaestsu, in my home."

* * *

All I can think, right now, is _shit_.

* * *

A few days later, the family was preparing to host a number of U.S. government officials so that they could extract the information they needed from Rin. All waited with unease, trying to distract Rin from the stressful upcoming situation.

Izayoi and Sango were constantly at Rin's side, preventing any chance for Sesshomaru to speak with Rin privately. Said demon was growing more and more frustrated with the situation. Finally, he found her alone in their small library, looking out of an open window and listening to some nameless song.

He stalked over to her resting form and abruptly stopped the music coming from the small player at her side.

Her eyes widened a bit, fearing that he might just kill her to solve his problems, but at the same time not giving a crap. It would relieve her quite a bit, in all reality.

"What is it?" Rin asked, moving her feet and fixing her skirt so that he could sit next to her.

"I wish to finish a conversation," he replied, expecting her to know what he was talking about.

Rin thought for a moment, hoping that he would start the 'unfinished' conversation. When he didn't, she gave in, "I don't remember any unfinished conversations. We've barely had any real ones that didn't involve our business dealings."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes before saying, "When I asked you how you became what you are. Then you asked me 'how could someone care?' It was… an awkward night, to say the least."

Rin remembered all right. She spent the night in tears, if she recalled correctly. "What do you want to know?"

"How you became 'that' I suppose."

"And will you answer my question first? About how and, well, _why _you care?" Rin looked into his golden eyes, surprised by the magnitude of his feelings, which he couldn't hide _there_.

Sesshomaru nodded quickly, agreeing to the informal terms. "Back then, I don't know why I asked. I think I was simply curious. You are the one human I've met without any hidden intentions and without any serious fear of me."

"And now?" Rin quirked an eyebrow, his comment sounded almost like a compliment. Almost.

"Awhile back, my father… brought some things to my attention," he paused, but kept talking when he felt that Rin was indeed going to question that too. "He supposed that you did not choose the life of a prostitute for yourself, Rin. He also figured that you _became one_ at a young age."

Rin sighed, yet again amazed at Sesshomaru's hidden feelings. Feelings which she assumed he felt that he could not _feel_. After being around him so much, Rin couldn't believe that. "Your father is quite brilliant," Rin thought for a moment, remembering their new _predicament_ because of Inutaisho's meddling, "…at times." Rin swore she heard Sesshomaru's dark chuckle.

"He was correct?"

"Yes. Well, kind of. I technically did choose to be a prostitute, but I really didn't know what I was getting into. Well, because, from what my logic and memory serves me, I think that I was around eleven or twelve at the time."

Sesshomaru, for the first time in Rin's company, let his face show emotion. Basal rage mixed with sympathy.

Maybe, even, compassion.

* * *

A/n: Sorry it is short! I won't be able to update for about a week or so because of my school work! I figured that something was better than nothing... Thanks again for all of your support!


	15. Chapter 15

"Where were your parents in all of this?" Sesshomaru asked after calming his anger.

Rin sighed and thought a moment, deciding to take advantage of his curiosity. Remember, folks, curiosity killed the proverbial cat, in the words of Inutaisho. "If you're going to question me, I want to question you."

Sesshomaru sighed, but allowed her to ask her question.

Rin was happy he accepted, and felt like a teenager playing twenty questions. Well, a really intense game of twenty questions. "Kagome told me once that I was the first person in a long time that you'd spoken to without becoming angry… Why me?"

Sesshomaru shifted, showing his unease. "You remind me of someone, I suppose. Now, my question is to be answered, please."

"My father died when I was a little kid. My mother died shortly after when I was ten. Now, who is it that I remind you of?"

Sesshomaru swiftly hopped up from his seat and bee-lined for the door, prompting Rin to follow him and pester him to answer her.

"Unfair! Answer me! Come on, Sesshomaru!" Rin stopped abruptly when she ran into his form. "What?"

"Hello, Miss Rin. I am agent Eric Ross, of the U.S. agency regarding your situation. Is there somewhere that we can talk?" The middle-aged man stuck out his hand to Rin, giving her a warm handshake. He then turned to Sesshomaru, half regretting that he did not address him first and offered a formal bow. "You must be the young heir Sesshomaru," he spoke in practiced Japanese, "I am well-versed in Japanese, if this is what you prefer."

"English is acceptable. This is for Rin," he did not offer a bow, and instead walked past the smaller man and made his way out of the front room and toward the dining room. On the way, he stopped to inform a maid about their intentions and to have her inform Inutaisho.

When they arrived, Inutaisho, Izayoi, Sango, and Susumu awaited, already seated and prepared. Agent Ross quickly introduced himself and sat in the most convenient spot next to Rin and Sesshomaru.

"Now, in return for your information, we have decided that we need you to help us bust your old ring. Tell me everything you know," he set out a tape recorder, and started taking notes when she started.

Rin, with some help from Sango, told Mr. Ross everything they could think of. They could remember the boss's properties, his hangouts, even where they usually picked up boys. Sango even retrieved her cell phone to find 'Boss's' number. Mr. Ross was satisfied with the information, but asked Rin something very shocking, "Rin, this information is great, but we are willing to offer you more if you would come back with me to help us even more."

"What would you need her for?" Izayoi asked, her surrogate mother side plainly showing for the room to see.

"We would like Miss Rin and Miss Sango to work undercover for us, to catch this man in action. We would bug them to gain evidence against him. From what Rin has told me about her age and solicitation, we could make sure this man never sees the light of day again, but only if we have hard evidence."

Rin looked pale and looked Mr. Ross straight on, "I will not. I have done what you've asked of me, and I will do no more, sir. I wish to never see him again, and I want to move on. And, what could I possibly want in return for helping you? What would be worth it? Boss would probably kill me if he ever saw me again!"

Mr. Ross nodded and replied, "I understand, Rin. This must be so very hard for you. However, I want you to think about this, okay? You could make sure this man doesn't harm any other girls like you in the future. I'll go to my hotel for now, okay? And I'll come back tomorrow for your answer as well as Sango's. Remember, Rin, we are prepared to offer you a lot for your cooperation. Money, resources, I think we can even get you a diner at the Whitehouse." Mr. Ross stood and said goodbye to the room and was escorted out by a maid.

The room dispersed, with Rin unsuccessfully trying to follow Sesshomaru out to finish their twenty questions game. Rin was intercepted by Sango, who quickly pulled her into an empty lounge.

Rin was alarmed by Sango's unusual behavior, and quickly followed Sango's gesture to sit with her.

"I know what we can ask for."

Rin was anxious then, and told her friend she was willing to listen even though she felt nothing could be worth the risk.

"Rin, I'm sorry you have lost your family. I've lost both of my parents too. But I have a little brother, Kohaku," Sango stopped Rin before she could interrupt. "He and I were separated a long time ago, after our parents' deaths. He was adopted because he was still quite young; I was a teenager, an undesirable kid. I was 'adopted' by a man who later sold me to Boss, and I have no idea what happened to Kohaku. I will go undercover for them if they promise to find Kohaku. Rin, could you help me by accepting? Please?"

Rin knew what Sango felt. And she knew that she would do anything to see a member of her family again. So without hesitation, she agreed.

* * *

Mr. Ross appeared while everyone was eating breakfast, ready to hear the girls' replies and deal.

Rin took the liberty of explaining their wish to find Kohaku, and agreed to go back to New York. Sesshomaru interrupted at this point, to insist that he accompany them to assure the government's compliance with the girls' request. Inutaisho also insisted that he accompanied, to 'keep face' as he put it.

The room was quite surprised to find out what Mr. Ross had to say next.

"The government took in all of your known information and we cross-checked it with all of our knowledge like missing persons and housing records. Last night, I received a fax from my office with all of you information, Rin. Would you like me to read it?"

Rin's heart was beating so fast that she thought her head might just pop off from increased blood pressure. "Yes, please."

"When we arrive in the U.S., I will be able to give you the official birth certificate. And even though you are technically an illegal immigrant right now, the Japanese government has already given you asylum and the U.S. government is giving you pardon from all crimes. I will also present you with an official passport when we arrive in New York."

"Given name is Rin Masami Ito. And your date of birth is April 29th of 1991."

Most of the table, including Sesshomaru, was looking at Rin, trying to see what she was feeling. Joy? Regret?

She kept her face blank, her eyes closed. She was letting the information hit only her ears and was trying to remember it all.

"You were born in the Mount Sinai Hospital of New York. Biological father is Ren Hayate Ito. Biological mother is… Suzume Miyu Ito, maiden name Miyamoto. Says here that both of your parents were Japanese immigrants, they came in December of 1990. They married in January of 1991, just before your birth it looks like. I suppose that I can get that marriage certificate for you…"

Sesshomaru abruptly stood and left the dining room, followed closely by Inutaisho. Rin barely took notice, focusing completely on her memory. The rest of the room was startled, but weren't too concerned to question.

"Anyways, it looks like I can also get their death certificates, so sorry for you losses. Ren Hayate Ito's death was on July 25th of 1996, cause of death… heart failure. Suzume Miyu Ito's death is recorded approximately on May 20th of 2001, cause of death… ah- self-inflic-"

"Stop there, please. I know that part." Rin pleaded.

"Sorry, Miss- ah-well, Ito. It says here that there are no known relatives, but this is probably because your parents were both immigrants, our agency wouldn't be able to access such information. In all likelihood, you have some relations here in Japan of some sort or another. I would check with any available resources to check on that.

"Now, Miss Sango, Miss Ito, I will be back around noon to fly us all back to New York on the ambassadors' plane they have so kindly allotted us seats on. Please inform Mr. Takahashi and Sesshomaru for me, I'm afraid they've still not come back."

Rin opened her eyes then, looking around, bewildered. "Where did Inutaisho and Sesshomaru go?"

Izayoi shrugged and said, "I have no idea, dear. Sesshomaru looked a bit pale- ah, I mean, paler. I wonder if he was getting sick, though, I've never seen him sick. Inutaisho looked quite distraught as well… I suppose we should find out if everything is okay."

"Miss Ito, here is your technically unofficial information, in case you wish to gander at it. I will take my leave for now, remember to be ready by noon," Mr. Ross handed her a few papers and scurried out of the dining room before the others.

* * *

A/n: That was a lot of information to take in, so enjoy your new knowledge and speculate... DUN-DUN-DUN.

Masami means become beautiful. Ren is romance or love, and Hayate is smooth. Suzume is translated as sparrow and Miyu as beautiful truth.


	16. Chapter 16

My name is Rin Masami Ito.

I am nineteen years old… nineteen and a half.

I exist.

* * *

"There you two are," Izayoi sighed as the search party, which consisted of herself and Rin, came across her husband and stepson in the small library. "Mr. Ross has left and will be returning around noon for your departure and asked us to inform you of it. Why did you two suddenly run off? You've given us quite the run-around looking for you both in this danged estate."

Inutaisho stood up from his place in front of the computer that he had been studying intensely with Sesshomaru and gave his wife a look that Rin couldn't quite discern. "Sorry if we've caused worry, my dearest, but there is something quite disturbing going on."

Izayoi stepped toward her husband, trying to see the computer screen Sesshomaru had not yet looked away from. "Tell us, please. You demons have no idea how annoying it is when everything you say is shrouded by innuendo."

Inutaisho moved around his wife, looking straight at Rin, who was a bit worried to be witnessing Inutaisho without his normal sense of decorum and grandeur. Without even blinking, Inutaisho addressed Rin, "If our assumptions are correct, which in all likelihood are, we know a few relatives of yours Rin."

Rin's face lighted up, but quickly fell again when she realized that Inutaisho's expression told her that this was not good news. "Who are they?"

Izayoi gasped, turning from the computer's screen to Rin's face and back again. She spoke next in Japanese, too quickly and much too complexly for Rin to catch more than a few syllables. Inutaisho answered, also to quickly. Rin began to believe this was quite intentional on their part and decided to find out why. She quickly scampered past Inutaisho and was close enough to know there was a picture on its screen when she was apprehended by a stony-faced Sesshomaru.

"What are you hiding from me?" Rin asked, trying her very best to sound strong.

Sesshomaru turned his golden eyes toward her own brown ones and stared. Rin now wondered if this was an inherited thing from Inutaisho. She noticed that his eyes didn't stay on hers long, but moved all over her from head to slipper-covered toe. She shivered, getting a case of the heebie-jeebies.

"She is the right age," Rin caught from Inutaisho's quickly spoken Japanese. She also caught a couple of what sounded like 'mother' and 'father' but couldn't be sure. What if her parents had been super serial killers in Japan? Or somehow affiliated with the Takahashi Company?

There was what sounded like bickering between the three for a few minutes, and Rin was almost frightened when Sesshomaru finally let her go without taking his eyes off of her.

Izayoi stepped forward and lightly put her hand on Rin's shoulder, softly speaking to Rin in beloved English, "Rin, look at this picture and tell me if this person is familiar."

Rin looked at all three and walked over to the computer, and glanced at the screen.

* * *

I remember when I turned four. It is one of my very first memories.

My dad brought home chicken udon from the Japanese Market, my absolute favorite. He put down his coat and beat-up briefcase to join me on the couch.

My mother gave me my gift after dessert. It was a stuffed dinosaur.

I remember my dad's face, much like my own. A soft chin and jaw line. He had a smile that was so bright that it mirrored the sun, even when he was tired or sick. His hair was receding but was a dark brown, streaked with grey.

His eyes, however, were not like mine. My eyes are my mother's perfect copy: a warm brown with a few hints of charcoal, slanted.

I now saw these eyes that matched my own staring back at me from the computer screen.

* * *

"That's my mother, right? How did you know her?"

The room was at a stand-still, wondering if this would be easier if they all just spontaneously combusted.

Inutaisho took a step towards her, looking at Sesshomaru to make sure if it was okay, and clicked on a button to change the picture.

This one featured her mother being held by a… _smiling_ Sesshomaru. The world could have ended and Rin would not have taken notice. Rin swayed and gripped Inutaisho's arm to steady herself before speaking, "She was more than a friend to you, wasn't she, Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

"What was she to you?" Rin asked, feeling like she might just barf because of the answer.

"Suzume was once Mrs. Takahashi."

Rin turned, and addressed Sesshomaru face-to-face. "But she was more than even that, wasn't she? You loved her."

"That would be none of your concern," in a blink of an eye, Sesshomaru had said what he'd said and was gone from the library.

Izayoi spoke up after a few awkward moments, wanting to clarify something, "There's no way that Rin is somehow Sesshomaru's kid, right, Inutaisho?"

Inutaisho shook his head, and took a whiff of Rin to be absolutely certain before answering, "We would have smelled it the moment we met her. But she unquestionably smells like Suzume did so long ago."

Rin perked up, almost happy for a moment, "You knew my mother?"

Inutaisho nodded an affirmative, "I am the one that arranged their marriage with your mother's family. Let's just say I knew her quite well. I suppose I am partly to blame for his stoniness. I selected her because I knew Sesshomaru _would_ love her; I did not see whether she would love him. It was my greatest folly, I suppose. It is what broke him."

'You did not know my father, then?" Rin asked, hoping that she might be able to get a sense for what she had lost so long ago.

"No, I did not. From what I understand of what happened, your father wasn't someone anybody knew. Perhaps she met him in her schooldays, maybe on the street," Inutaisho shrugged.

Rin sat down in the computer chair and digested the information before asking her next question, "Do I have any relatives, then? On my mother's side, I guess?"

Inutaisho nodded again and sat down in the adjacent chair, "Yes, which makes this situation a tad more complicated. You see, Kagome is technically related to you by marriage. Her cousin is Kikyo, the girl Inuyasha was supposed to marry to preserve Sesshomaru's broken contract with Suzume. So Kikyo is your first cousin and your mother's niece."

"So I have relatives, then? Can I get in contact with them?"

"Inuyasha's arranged marriage with Kikyo, your mother's niece, was supposed to… ah, alleviate Sesshomaru's arranged marriage fiasco. So, you see, things aren't exactly on happy terms with our families and, well, our companies either."

Rin took in the information, finally letting it click in her head. "Well, through marriage, I'm technically related to Kagome, right? That's more family than I've had in a long time."

"Yes, dear. But don't ask Kagome to introduce you to your mother's family either. She's been practically ostracized from them since becoming pregnant with Ivaestsu," Izayoi patted the young woman's shoulder, trying to be as supportive as she could.

"If Sesshomaru was married to my mother back before I was even born… that must make him pretty old. He told me once that demons don't age well, but what does that mean, exactly?" Rin asked, genuinely curious.

Izayoi laughed, delighted that Rin was taking this all very well, "Sesshomaru is older than Tokyo. Older than Japan as we know it. Inutaisho here is over 1,000 years old, and Susumu is even older than him."

Rin looked flabbergasted, quite stunned by this reality. "I wasn't expecting them to be that old… and they all look so youthful!"

Inutaisho smiled, showing his two fangs, and pulled Izayoi to his side, "These looks are all the better to lure pretty little girls in, eh, Izayoi?" She giggled, and Rin knew for sure what loved looked like.

* * *

"Sesshomaru, are you done packing?" Inutaisho stood in the doorway of his son's room, holding something at his side.

"No. What is it, father?" Sesshomaru did not stop his mechanical motions as he addressed the unwanted visitor.

"I want to give you something," Inutaisho took the liberty of stepping into the room and standing right next to the paused demon. "You are familiar with Tenseiga, yes? I wish to bequeath it to you now, instead of at my death, which seems to be running away from me."

"Tenseiga is of no use to me. I cannot use a sword that cannot cut, father. And why would I even need a sword that cuts? I have my claws."

Inutaisho 'tsked' and sat down on the dark bed, "Son, there are times when I want to beat you. Right now, I just want you to accept this and carry it, especially in New York."

"If you are so eager to give me some of my inheritance, give me Sounga or Tessaiga. This sword is useless."

"This sword is one of my greatest creations, made of my own fang. This sword does not cut the living, but cuts what is dead."

Sesshomaru looked at his sire, not willing to admit that he was confused.

* * *

**On Flight to New York**

Rin took her seat next to Sango. This, unfortunately, left her facing Sesshomaru, who sat inconveniently across from her. Inutaisho sat on her other side, while Mr. Ross was left sitting next to the worryingly quiet Sesshomaru. A good way through the flight, Mr. Ross was sound asleep, as was Sango, leaving the awkward air to weigh heavier on the quiet trio.

That is, until Rin broke the seemingly endless silence, "You never answered my question, Sesshomaru. Who is it that I remind you of?"

Sesshomaru looked up from his ever-present computer and sighed, something Rin found he did quite a bit. "This seems quite unnecessary now, Rin."

"I don't think it's unnecessary," Inutaisho interrupted, intrigued as to what conversation they were obviously referring to. Maybe his son talked more than he thought…

Sesshomaru glared at his senior, obviously wishing for the old man to jump out of the plane to his death. "You reminded me, at first, of Suzume. I suppose that is why I originally sheltered you from Ayame, Kouga's obnoxious wife."

Rin nodded her acceptance, glad that he, for once, fully answered her question instead of hinting and moseying his way around it. "You're turn to ask, Sesshomaru."

"Aw, I don't get a turn?" Inutaisho joked, but quickly backed off when he received a chilling glare from his son.

"Why did you cry that night, in my room, the first time we-" Sesshomaru shot another glare at his father when he gasped, "-played this question game?"

Rin was surprised he had asked such a question, but answered with no qualms, "I wondered why you had cared enough to ask me 'why' and 'how' about the whole prostitution thing. No one, not even Sango, had ever asked me something like that. It was a bit overwhelming to find someone that felt something other than lust for me, even if it was just out of pity or common curiosity. Even when I was in an orphanage for awhile, not one person ever really cared for me since my father had died. My mother was so caught up after his death; I don't think she remembered me, really."

Sesshomaru took in this new information and pondered. It did make sense, after all. From what he could discern about Suzume's character from their shared time, she really could only focus on one thing at a time. If she had been caught up on Rin's father, it would make sense that nothing else would be thought of, even little Rin. "Your turn."

Rin thought for a few minutes, glad that the demons seemed patient enough to wait. "What's your favorite color?"

While Inutaisho laughed, Sesshomaru replied, "You want to waste a question on that?"

Rin nodded enthusiastically, and waited intently for his answer.

Sesshomaru sighed, yet again, and actually thought about the question before answering, "White."

"That's not a color!"

"Yes, it is. And that is my answer."

Rin threw up her arms dramatically and sighed in defeat.

"Your favorite color?"

Inutaisho was stifling his laughter, trying not to stifle this weirdly romantic situation. Key word being 'weirdly.'

Rin smiled, glad he had asked, once again proving that he cared, "It changes, I suppose. Usually it's yellow or gold, sometimes red. Just depends on the day."

Sesshomaru waited for her to ask her next question when they were unfortunately stopped by the pilot telling the plane to fasten their seatbelts and prepare for descent, which woke Mr. Ross and Sango.

* * *

A/n: I've been good with updating as of late, right? I've been trying so hard!


	17. Chapter 17

As a result of the Takahashi way of life, the group rented four rooms from a ritzy hotel. Sango and Rin insisted that they could share a room, no worries; Inutaisho, who took no offense, then insisted that Mr. Ross take the extra room because of his kindness toward the girls.

Deciding that they weren't sleepy in the least, Sango and Rin were relaxing in their floor's lounge. They shared all the funny stories they could think of, one which even involved this very hotel and a 'client' so fat he got _stuck_ in the bathroom. Their musings were interrupted by Mr. Ross, who had a knack for doing such things.

"I just retrieved your official documents from my office, Miss Ito," Mr. Ross stood next to Rin's chosen overstuffed armchair. "I thought you might like to have them before your briefing tomorrow."

Rin took the envelope from his outstretched hand, becoming curious as to why it was so heavy. She began to pull out each document with Mr. Ross explaining each.

"Your birth certificate, but this is not the original. The original is probably at your old group home, if you want to retrieve it, which is what I would suggest. They also might have anything your parents left you or old personal items. This is your official passport, with a visa to Japan only," he then pointed to a piece of paper with addresses on it, "These are all of your known residences before your parents' deaths. Here," he pointed at the bottom, "is the orphanage's address and telephone number, if you wish to contact them. There are both of your parents' death certificates, fortunately the hospitals had them, and so they are the originals," He pointed to the next piece of paper that looked quite official in Rin's eyes, "These are from the NYC Bank, which is where your parents kept their holdings. Even though your mother was on welfare, it looks like there is a bit of money there from insurance and savings. With these account numbers," he circled with a pen, "you can access the accounts and settle them, or keep them."

"Thank you, Mr. Ross. Your kindness toward me is appreciated," Rin smiled at the middle-aged man. "I won't forget it."

Mr. Ross smiled back and replied, "This is all part of my job, Miss Ito. You've earned it too, with all the help you've been giving to the government."

"Still, you've done so much more than what I asked for," Rin then gestured to Sango, "and you're going to help reunite a family."

"Speaking of which, with the information that you gave me, I was able to locate your little brother, Sango. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to give you his whereabouts until his parents consent or he turns eighteen," Mr. Ross looked sympathetic for Sango and went on, "Luckily, he turns eighteen within the year, and if my sister were lookin' for me, I'd want to meet her right away," he smiled, trying to give the young women hope. "So enjoy yourselves and be ready to go in the morning. I'm going back to my room to sleep off this jet lag."

The girls said their goodnights and continued their reminiscing together.

* * *

"I never took you for a sucker on the inside, son."

Sesshomaru looked up at his father, who was currently invading his room and sitting on his lounge sofa just to the right of his desk. "Meaning _what _exactly, father?"

"You, with Rin. It's pretty obvious that you've gone soft for her," Inutaisho looked at his son, not receiving any confirmation from his stoic face. "I mean, if I were to ask you what your favorite color was, you'd probably just run your claws through me, your life giver and sire."

"Yes. Yes, I would have," Sesshomaru did not look away from his ever-present laptop, his voice carrying the slightest tone of jest. "But, this is only because you annoy me. Constantly."

"No, no. The point here is that Rin could annoy the HELL out of you, and get away with it," Inutaisho swept his arms dramatically with his words. "She could dance around you singing 'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts' and you wouldn't even blink. I mean, you'd probably _like_ it… in some kind of nasty, twisted-"

Sesshomaru stopped his typing and looked his father in the eye, "You must have some valid reason of coming in here. Tell me, or leave."

Inutaisho sighed, and unusual to his relaxed nature, straightened up to speak of something serious. "This whole 'adventure' with Rin has done you good. It was with my very best intentions that I decided to solve the scandal with a marriage," Sesshomaru was about to interrupt when Inutaisho struck out a claw to keep him quiet. "I've tried to solve a lot of things with marriage. I'm a bit romantic in that sense. However, knowing that Rin is part of the Miyamoto family, and by extent, the Miyamoto Company, I feel like what I announced at the press conference is a good thing. We can restore our relations with the Miyamoto family! You can finally have someone around that doesn't fear you, and accepts your… nature."

Sesshomaru took in his words without a nasty reply or witty comeback, which was quite pleasing in his father's eyes. "Even if we did _feel _anything for each other, father… it simply would not work. I was married to her late mother. This is a disturbing fact. If, for some reason, we could accept this as, well, a couple, the public simply could not. Think of the company."

Inutaisho sighed, because, like most of the time, his son was correct. "I do think of the company, Sesshomaru," he stretched out a clawed hand to stop his son's pointless typing, "But, more importantly, I think of you, and Inuyasha, and Izayoi, and Kagome, and Ivaestsu… and, well, Rin and Sango. My family is what comes first. Money, publicity, fame, those things don't matter faced up against my family. Even your mother, my cold ex-wife, comes before all that stuff." Inutaisho then caught his son's golden eyes and recalled Rin's 'usual' favorite color: gold. "I hope your family comes first too. Or your future family… Sesshomaru, I want you to be happy."

Sesshomaru, at that moment, had never been more conflicted and compromised in his life. He was about to speak, but Inutaisho once again stopped him.

"Son, I want you to put aside any anxiety about the company and anyone else that is not important to you. Then, I want you to think about _you_, and your important things in life. And until you come to a sound conclusion, with no doubts, you can tell me your feelings about these things. Until you come to such a point, I will help you, but I will not coddle you."

* * *

The meeting to discuss the cooperation with the girls commenced in the late morning, in a quieter-than expected headquarters. Though Sango and Rin had been granted pardon from all crimes, they had been put into an interrogation room with soundproofed walls and a mirror straight out of a crime prime-time show.

Begrudgingly, their unofficial guardians were told to wait in another room so as not to compromise the briefing. Sesshomaru had only agreed when his father gave him a look that could've made the grim reaper shiver.

Mr. Ross continued to be their personal ambassador of sorts to the agency and investigators. With the cooperation and understanding of all of the parties involved, their plan of action was set and compensations were in order.

The girls would go to 'Boss's' main residence, bugged, with the police on standby. They were to plead to come back to him, and use any tactic they felt comfortable with to convince him. They were also to try to get names of anything they could, and point their mini-hidden cameras at any suspicious behavior. A psychologist was brought in to coach them on speaking tactics and the power of suggestion. The only humorous moment the entire meeting was when the psychologist called their new power of suggestion 'Jedi mind tricks.'

* * *

I wonder what these men really think about all this.

Have they done this before?

…have they failed before?

I must not think such terrible thoughts; instead I should go back to my old habit of daydreaming.

Daydreaming… that could have been wishing.

If it was wishing, then didn't something come true?

I've been brought out of my old life. (A small relapse for the sake of Sango's brother does not count in my books.)

I can talk freely to a mother-like figure,

I have a family.

And I get to stare at my beautiful silver-haired savior.

* * *

While the girls' briefing was in full swing, the father and son duo were in an anonymous, plainly decorated waiting room that was set a ways away from prying human secretary ears.

Inutaisho had ensconced himself in the coziest chair he could find, while Sesshomaru picked the most uncomfortable-looking one to keep him alert.

The younger of the two was focused on the room he smelled his 'fiancé' in, trying to listen to anything he could. However, he soon discerned that human 'soundproofing' was to be admired. So when he finally gave up, he found Inutaisho to be dozing off in his seat.

He took this as a sign from unseen forces that he should reflect. His thoughts went from his proclaimed fiancé to, as Inutaisho put it, 'his future family' pretty quickly.

Could he be happy with this… arrangement? Would he stick with Rin, the girl he had merely saved because of her resemblance to her mother? Would he remain happy, faithful to a woman who had been so badly victimized? Could he sire a hanyou, a possible replica of his most abhorred half-brother?

Surely a marriage with not-so-innocent Rin would not last so long as to even consider such nonsense… Could it?

Questions, Sesshomaru thought, he could no longer reflect upon.

Instead, he not-sp-gracefully woke his father by barking inhumanly, just loud enough to startle those with super-sensitive hearing.

Inutaisho woke with a shutter and a snort, becoming alert quickly and unpleasantly. "What? You could've just come over here and given me a good shake you lazy old dog! What if there had been police dogs around?"

"I need _counsel_, geezer."

Inutaisho sighed, letting his son's indiscretion slide. Ah, the things he did for _family_.

Sesshomaru did not wait for a reply after a short pause and cut to the chase, "What if I sired a hanyou?"

Inutaisho was a bit shocked by his question, wondering if his son had gone off of his rocker for a moment or two before answering, "Well, when a demon and a human-" he received a glare from his son's golden eyes, "Well, that's a bit expected, yes? Rin is human. You are full-demon. The result-"

"I know." Sesshomaru thought for a moment on how to word it for his painfully teasing father. "Would that even work? For this Sesshomaru?"

Inutaisho was shocked at his third-person usage. Most of the time, he had observed, his third person was used to distance other people. He had used it most often and recently after Suzume's unfaithful tryst. It seemed to act as a protective barrier. Then he remembered Izayoi's retelling of Rin's growing up, and paled when he thought of how it would really effect what was now in question. "That's something… I don't think you'd even have to worry about, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru did not use words to convey his confusion, opting for suggestive head turning instead.

"Izayoi talked to Rin for a long time the night of Ivaestsu's birth. She told Izayoi of a haunting experience with a doctor, after which she no longer experienced that dreadful monthly cycle. By human standards, that indicates that she can't have children."

Sesshomaru immediately asked, "But aren't I… _expected_ to reproduce? As the next leader of the company, I need an heir as well, sooner or later."

"Sesshomaru, I don't really know if that matters. It should be the last thing you think about when considering your future with Rin. Or your future in general. As I have said, my death is running away from me. My expiration date has come and gone with no hint of it actually coming on. You need no worries about the company. And, in this day and age, Sesshomaru, there are plenty of alternatives to children. There's travel, adoption… _sanity_."

* * *

A/n: My dear readers, though it pains me to have to say this, forced prostitution, especially of minors, exists, even here in the good old United States. With the help of many charities and good people, these child sex-slaves are being helped and their nefarious captors are being put behind bars. This is no joking matter, please understand the dire situations these girls (and sometimes boys) are put in and if you are able, aid the many good people helping these poor victims. This story is a fictional (obviously) portrayal of a child-slavery victim. I know quite a few organizations that help these victims, and, one day, I hope to be involved with both my time and money within one of these organizations. (That is _when_ and if I graduate law school.) I hope I can encourage you to do the same, at any level you can.


	18. Chapter 18

When Rin's scent wafted into the room, Sesshomaru was given just a few moments to prepare himself to face his fiancé. His practice in the art of silence was the only thing that saved him from asking her a whole new wave of questions, and he felt inwardly embarrassed by the fact that he now had the impulse to whisk her away and initiate their question game.

The girls seemed thoughtful and unusually quiet when they stopped by the room to collect their chaperones; only Inutaisho kept them cognizant of their surroundings on their way out.

"When shall we meet again, Mr. Ross?" Inutaisho asked, ushering the girls toward the exit of the building.

Mr. Ross opened the swinging door for them all while he told them, "We will send for the girls in two days' time, on Friday. Use this time to relax, or settle any business that you must," he said mostly for Rin, hoping that she would go to her old group home and settle her parents' old accounts.

Inutaisho decided to treat his little party to a late lunch at an upper-class establishment. During their lunch, Sesshomaru suppressed his urge to question Rin and opted for his normal silence. Inutaisho covered for his son by asking Sango about her life and her younger brother, and managed to 'slip' that Miroku couldn't stop talking about her in the most flattering of ways.

* * *

He's silent, quieter than usual.

I find myself able to get some indication of what he's feeling, but right now I don't have a clue.

Was this how he felt when he asked me 'why' and 'how' seemingly so long ago?

Did he feel nothing emanating from me, or feel this almost uncontrollable urge to question me?

All I want to do is find out what's running through that silver-haired head.

* * *

The party of four made their way back to the hotel, and quickly split ways toward their respective rooms. Sango left to go enjoy the indoor whirlpool and sauna on the first floor, leaving Rin to endlessly channel surf in their room.

Sesshomaru conveniently saw Sango come out of the elevator in a swimsuit while he procured dinner. Quickly deducing his chances, he ordered extra food and two drinks instead of one: a tastefully bold wine for himself and a sweet virgin drink for his underage fiancé. He carried the tray of food and beverages himself, slightly scorning a young worker who was looking for a quick tip from a seemingly wealthy man. The other guests in the lobby were awed by his quick, underplayed grace and ethereal beauty, and none joined him in the elevator except for a little girl.

Sesshomaru, who thought nothing of it, pressed '22' on the button panel, and watched as the girl pushed '19.'

"You have pretty hair, mister," the blonde little girl told Sesshomaru while she pointed at his head. "Did your mommy dip you in paint or something?"

It was going to be a very long ride up, Sesshomaru thought as he stared at the little girl's smile, which was missing a tooth. "No. I was born with this hair color. Where are your parents? You're not even six years old, I bet."

She mumbled something Sesshomaru did not quite catch, but heard at the end, "…bet they have it too." She looked like she decided something and met Sesshomaru's eyes, giving him a bit of a shock. "Do your babies have that hair too?"

Sesshomaru was caught off-guard and almost dropped his tray on the little blondie. He sighed, thinking of things that were beyond the girl's comprehension before answering, "I don't have children, little girl."

She pouted in the most adorable way and uncrossed her pale little arms to tug on his dress shirt. "But you must have a wife and babies, mister, 'cuz you're so pretty!"

Sesshomaru did not know how to respond, due to the fact that children were not his strong point. He found that he didn't have to answer, because floor nineteen was achieved and a blonde woman, who looked quite frazzled, bounded into the elevator. She embraced what Sesshomaru thought could only be her daughter or niece, and he struck out an arm to hold the elevator open.

The woman lifted the little girl and looked at the man who she assumed had brought her little girl back. "Thank you, sir. I didn't realize that Estelle wasn't with me when my family went into the elevator."

Sesshomaru tried unsuccessfully to admit that this deed had not been purposefully done, but was cut off by the fervent woman. "Say thank you, Estelle."

The little girl, Estelle, gave Sesshomaru her gap-toothed smile, obediently said thank you, and waved as her older relative walked out of the elevator with the little blonde in tow.

Sesshomaru sighed audibly when the doors had closed and waited patiently for his own floor to be reached. He found himself thinking about children for the hundredth time that day.

* * *

Rin had finally settled on an anonymous movie channel, which was playing a flick she vaguely remembered from her childhood. It was quite inconvenient when there was a definitive knock on the door of the room, making her groan and roll out of her comfortable position on the bed.

"I bet Sango _left her key_…" She came to the door and glanced through the peephole, only to find whom she wasn't really expecting. She unbolted the door and swung it open to let her 'fiancé' inside. "What's that you're carrying?" she asked, not nearly tall enough to see what was balanced on the tray.

"Dinner. I hope you're hungry," Sesshomaru stated warmly, giving Rin a bit of false security. He handed her the drink he'd bought her and uncovered the steaming dishes. "There are steak, some various vegetables, and salmon," he gestured to the dishes, "I did not know what you liked, so pick anything."

Rin smiled at Sesshomaru and did not hesitate to go for the steak. "I've always liked my hardy meat. Do you want to share the veggies?"

He nodded and waited for her to mute the television before taking a seat at the small table in the room. "I didn't know you liked 'Beauty and the Beast,'" he commented, gesturing to the cartoon movie on the screen.

Rin looked back to the television, "Oh, I forgot the name. I just remember seeing it when I was a kid and it was the only thing really on, so I… I put it on." She cut up her steak and savored the heavenly flavor. Her many years in destitution taught her to be grateful for everything, especially food.

Trying to ease what he would soon ask her, Sesshomaru kept up the light conversation with Rin, and enjoyed their food and drink together.

When their drinks were drunk and their food eaten, he suggested restarting the question game.

Because Rin was not expecting the suggestion, it took her a minute to think of something. "Have you ever thought about having a family?"

Of course she would ask _that_ question. "Yes," he plainly answered, in a tone that told Rin that 'yes' was all she was going to get.

"Your turn, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru struggled to put his mind's ongoing conflict into words, but managed to ask, "Have you ever thought about having a family?"

Rin half-smiled, and admitted, "I don't think I can have children… but I wish I could," she paused when she saw no hint of emotion in his face. "I'm sorry if that isn't according to plan. I mean, if we must go through with the marriage, then I'll understand if you-"

"No, Rin. I just wanted to make sure we wanted the same things."

Rin was a tad confused when she asked, "Then you do want children? And, well, me?"

"Is that your question?"

Rin smiled, catching on that he was trying to joke, but nonetheless said yes.

"Yes… I want children, and you," Sesshomaru, though he didn't smile on the outside, looked serious and resolute. "But, if you cannot have children, it doesn't bother me."

Sesshomaru got up from his chair to stand in front of Rin's and bent at his waist and at his knees to get at eye level with Rin.

Rin looked flushed, but said, "Your turn."

Sesshomaru let one side of his mouth turn up into a smile, and asked, "Do you want _me_?"

The answer was a 'yes' and an awkward sit-hug followed.

* * *

The next day, as the party made its way to Rin's former group home, was left in a mostly unadulterated, comfortable silence.

Sango had noticed Rin's giddy mood, but did not question it; even though she had come back to her shared room the night before to find Rin and Sesshomaru playing their not-so-secret question game at the table, Sango decided there was nothing new within her little group.

Inutaisho felt differently, however. He caught Rin's blushing face when she met Sesshomaru's glance. He would interrogate his son later, he decided. It's not like they smelled of each other so strongly that he would assume… _sexual activities_… had taken place.

Sango, Inutaisho, and Sesshomaru followed behind Rin as she made her way up the stoop to the orphanage's door. She hesitated a bit before knocking, and waited for an answer patiently.

A little hand opened the door, and a little face blinked at them, slightly obfuscated by the door. "Hello?"

Rin bent to see the child more clearly and asked sweetly, "Can I see the Mother here?"

The child nodded and ran from the door, calling out for the lady in charge. Rin stood back up and waited again, albeit anxiously.

"Can I help y'all?"

Rin nodded and quickly answered, "I wanted to see if there were records kept from 2001, or personal affects. Would you be able to help me?"

The woman blinked a few times and studied the group before her closely. "There any reason, miss?"

"I was here, in 2001, but _left_ shortly after arriving. I was told that there may be some of my documents here."

The woman nodded and stepped aside so that Rin could enter but told the others that they had to wait outside for the sake of the children. "Follow me, miss, ah, I don't know your name. That would probably help this little search…"

"Rin Ito," Rin said as she followed the middle aged robust woman into a walk-in closet, which was lined with boxes of every size.

"The names of the children should be on the side of the box. The stuff from 2001 might be a bit tricky to find though… I'll have one of the children come in and help you…" she wandered off, calling after a kid.

Rin started in on the names, deciding to check the ones farthest away first.

"Miss Rin? Mother told me to come help you find something… do you need help?" A girl, who seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen, asked while she twirled her brown hair nervously.

Rin smiled, knowing the anxiety of meeting someone new and older, "Yes. What's your name?"

"Sandy."

"Well, Sandy, I need to find some stuff I left here a long time ago. Mother said that my box should have my name on it…"

"_You_ were an orphan here?" the girl seemed to have a new spark in her eye as she took in Rin's clothing and overall appearance.

Rin nodded, "Once. We all move on, sooner or later."

The girl began to look at boxes, and asked while she read names, "I don't remember you, Rin. And I've been here nearly all my life."

Rin did not pause, trying not to make a big deal out of what she was going to say, "I ran away from here when I was a bit younger than you are." When she heard a pause in the girl's movements, she added, "but I don't suggest that to anybody. Life outside here, without anyone to care, is the worst thing in the world, Sandy."

Sandy gave a noise of acknowledgement and continued to search. A considerable time later, she asked, "Your name is Rin _I-ayto_? This box says that…"

"_Eee-toe?_ That would be me," Rin set the mid-sized tan box she was looking at carefully down and said, "Thanks, Sandy."

Sandy knelt down with Rin to glance into the box while Rin hastily pulled the tape off of its top. The contents surprised her greatly, and almost brought her to tears. There, on the very top, lay her stuffed dinosaur, a memento of happier times. She set the dinosaur lovingly down, right by her side and continued to pull things out.

There were all sorts of official looking papers, most of them yellowed and curled from lack of care. Rin easily located her birth certificate and put it right on top of the growing pile. With more sifting, and help organizing from Sandy, Rin discovered two things she never thought she'd see again.

In a slightly mashed corner of the box, her parents' wedding rings were in a small plastic baggie, which prompted Rin to say a quiet 'thank you' to any deity listening for the fact that the rings were still there after all that time. They weren't anything special, coming from a below-average family, but their sentimental value meant everything to Rin.

It slightly shocked Rin when Sandy exclaimed, "An early Christmas present, Rin!" Rin looked confused to the teenager, so she elaborated, "Christmas is on Saturday, silly."

Rin nodded, and thought of how much time had flown by her in the last year.

Rin thanked Sandy yet again and left the rest of the box to be discovered later. She gently laid the papers and wedding rings on top, opting to hand carry her stuffed dinosaur out the door to meet her companions.

* * *

A/n: That's right: the Rin and Sango mission is happening on Christmas Eve, AKA 'Friday.' No offense to anybody that doesn't celebrate Christmas, but this is going down. (Happy Hanukah or Chanukah to others.) Hopefully I update again before Christmas Eve… no promises, but I would really like to.

On a completely different tangent, I finally got to use the word 'stoop.' The noun version. That word brings back memories of one of my favorite shows growing up: 'Hey Arnold.'


	19. Chapter 19

"These look like the official documents Mr. Ross was going on about," Inutaisho said as he casually looked over the box's contents. He neatly stacked the papers on his hotel room's desk, out of the way of their in-room lunch.

Sango was pulling out small pieces of paper that were randomly strewn in the box and organizing them. "These look like your pictures growing up, Rin! Aw, how cute! This one's my favorite," Sango enthusiastically remarked as she handed the favorite to Sesshomaru.

Rin, about five or six, was smiling with her front two teeth missing. Sesshomaru was reminded yet again of Estelle, the small girl he'd met on the elevator. "This is a keeper, Rin," he remarked, with no evidence of emotion on his face. However, Rin was starting to learn that this was his way of communicating a joke or other affectionate things.

Rin looked at the picture and laughed, "It sure is a keeper. I'm so glad these pictures were in here…" Rin picked up another from Sango's pile; this one featured her mother and father gazing at a sleeping baby, which she could only assume was herself. Rin glanced at Sesshomaru, to see if he had any reaction to her mother's image.

Sesshomaru's face said nothing, but Rin could swear that his eyes held back something. She was going to ask him a question, but Sango cut her off by handing her a whole other pile of pictures to look over.

"You look a lot like your father," Inutaisho remarked as he looked over Rin's shoulder at the pictures. "Particularly when you smile," he pointed to a picture of her father smiling with Rin in his lap.

"I think so too," Rin smiled as she glanced lovingly at the picture.

"These are the wedding rings?" Sango asked as she pulled out the baggie containing two golden rings.

"Yup. There they are." Rin stood and accepted the bag from Sango, then pulled both of the rings out. "Nothing special. Just two bands, really."

Sesshomaru leaned in closer to Rin's adjacent seat to get a better look.

"We should get them cleaned for you," he remarked, no change in his baritone voice.

Rin smiled at him, knowing this was a very generous offer from Sesshomaru. "Yeah, that would be nice. They look kind of neglected after so many years."

After exploring the rest of the box's contents and finishing their in-room lunch, the group split up into their respective rooms. Sango and Rin found themselves bored silly, and as every person knows, bored women are gossiping women.

"Do you think Miroku likes me?" Sango asked her friend while she pointlessly channel-surfed.

"I think he does, Sango," Rin smiled a bit, wishing the very best for her best friend. "You heard Inutaisho, he always talks about you."

Sango considered it before she spoke again, "But I don't think he likes me as much as Sesshomaru likes you."

Rin turned her head towards the taller woman, asking with her body language what that little comment was implying.

Sango noticed the silent question and elaborated, "It's obvious he really likes you, Rin. It's in every move he makes around you. Did you hear what he said earlier? The whole: 'We should get them cleaned for you' bit. Geez, Rin, we've been trained to read men like a book and yet you don't see this."

"He told me, last night, while you were away, that he... well, he wanted 'me.' Not in the way that I've been _wanted_ before, you know."

Sango snorted at that last remark, "Of course I know, Rin. I was a prostitute too, remember?"

Rin shrugged and kept on, "I think I love him, Sango. But people like us... how can we ever be worthy of people like Sesshomaru... or Miroku?"

Sango dropped the remote to embrace her friend, saying, "That's just it, Rin. Maybe we do deserve them, because of what we were. Key word being: 'were.' And, apparently, at least to Sesshomaru, you're worthy of him. And, in the end, that's all that matters."

"And to Miroku, you're worthy of him," Rin smiled, slyly poking her friend.

"With boobs as big as ours, my friend, I think we're worthy of anyone we want," Sango joked, leading them both into a long-lasting fit of giggles.

When they physically could no longer laugh, Rin left Sango to go see Sesshomaru.

She knocked on his room's door, calling out to him to let him know who it was. He told her through the door that the door was unlatched and to let herself in. She wandered into his study room, finding his back to her. She came up to the desk, hearing the tapping of his laptop keys.

"What are you up to?" she asked, seating herself in a chair, waiting for him to turn around and acknowledge her.

"Just finishing up some e-mails from the office..." he finally finished and spun around in his office chair to face her.

What she saw when he turned was a bit of a shock.

His silvery hair, which he always sported a bit longer than most men, was now longer than her own and draped over his right shoulder. On his forehead was a blue crescent moon. Sets of pink stripes adorned his cheeks, and matching , what she could only describe as eyeliner, prettily contrasted his golden eyes.

She sat, staring at his face for a considerable period of time.

Sesshomaru, who had finally lost his patience with her blank stare, said, "Are you alright, Rin?"

She nodded and pointed to his face.

He realized, a tad late, what she was staring at. "I suppose you've never seen my undisguised self..." he stood, flicking his long hair back as he did so. He reached for a nondescript silver chain and clasped it around his neck, restoring his normal appearance almost instantly. "I'm sorry if that shocked you."

Rin could only say, "Wha?"

"Demons take many measures to disguise themselves. Unfortunately, the modern world does not take well to demon markings, so we demons have come up with many ways to cover them up."

When Rin did not move, he went on, "I am sure that you saw many demons that did not take on a human guise at the demons' hospital, right?"

She nodded, remembering a funny little toad demon that came to congratulate Inutaisho on his first grandchild. "But I didn't know that you looked any different... you've already got the silver hair and the gold eyes..."

Sesshomaru shrugged, a gesture Rin had rarely seen him make. "We blend in well enough like this."

"So your dad looks like that too?" Rin asked.

"A bit different. My markings are closer to those of my mother's."

"Anything else kind of weird I should know, like, before I marry you?" Rin asked playfully, smiling wonderfully for Sesshomaru.

"You've already seen Inuyasha's little dog ears."

Rin smiled, remembering when she had first found out about demons.

"... When provoked, my father and I can turn into a large dogs."

Rin tilted her head, trying to picture Sesshomaru as a fluffy puppy. "Like a lab?"

"More like a two-story snarling, venomous lab."

"I want to see that," Rin stated, no joking in her voice.

"You would be wise to never see me like that. One drop of saliva and you could burn up."

"Even more exciting, then," Rin laughed.

* * *

The day is here.

I will have to face the man that took everything away. My dreams, my life, my virginity.

I will be brave.

* * *

"Sesshomaru?"

"Father?"

Inutaisho walked up to his son, putting a strong hand on his shoulder. "She will be alright." They had watched the girls leave with a few of the agency's men with heavy hearts down in the lobby only minutes before.

Sesshomaru did not reject his hand, an unusual behavior for the demon.

Inutaisho sighed as he looked about Sesshomaru's hotel room. "I see that you've brought Tenseiga."

Sesshomaru looked at his early inheritance which was laying on the suitcase rack. "You asked me to."

"You rarely used to listen to me, son. Something within you has changed."

Sesshomaru let them sit in silence for a few minutes before his asked his father reluctantly, "Why did you choose Izayoi?"

Inutaisho took a seat next to his son and smiled, "Because she was what was missing. When we were apart, life was more gloomy. When we were together... it felt right."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Inutaisho was letting Sesshomaru think.

Sesshomaru finally answered, "I believe that Rin is what was missing." He sat for a moment or two, mulling over his conclusions from the last few days. "I have decided to wed Rin, regardless of her past, or mine. We will restore the relations with the Miyamoto company and Miyamoto family."

"Is that the only reason?" a tone of disapproval permeated the elder demon's voice.

Sesshomaru did not hesitate to say no and, "I am... incredibly fond of Rin."

"Fond?"

"I have not yet told her the proper words, father. I wish to tell her first, before I tell my father."

Inutaisho gave into his impulse to hug his son, but pulled away when a growl resounded.

They spoke of civil things for a while, which was quite considerate of Inutaisho towards Sesshomaru, who could only handle emotional things for short bursts of time.

There was a stately knock on the door and Sesshomaru bounded over with his demon speed to answer it.

"A delivery, sir. Express shipped from the diamond store," a page boy presented Sesshomaru with a small package and left with the demon's generous tip.

"Diamond store, eh?" Inutaisho looked over Sesshomaru's shoulder to see him carefully open the package. "Her parents' wedding rings? You sly dog! This is going on the top ten most romantic things ever."

Sesshomaru let a small smile grace his face, making his sire a little uncomfortable. A smile from Sesshomaru usually implied danger or death.

The rings, which had indeed been quite simple, now outlined a simple, yet obviously expensive, diamond ring. They all came together in one of the most admirably beautiful sets either of the men had ever seen.

"Oh boy, once Izayoi sees this, I'm gonna have to go buy her something big," Inutaisho stated, half-joking, half-serious.

The phone rang as they admired the ring.

* * *

Sango and Rin both had been outfitted in some of their old clothes and bugged. The car driving them around dropped them off a couple of blocks away from their destination. They walked to the boss' house mostly in silence, anticipating what was to come. Their feet ached from the obnoxious heels which they had forgone for quite some time. They reached the house and looked at each other with anxiety in their eyes. They embraced, no words necessary. Rin walked up the stoop, took a deep breath, and pushed the buzzer.

A woman cracked the door to peer out, asking what they wanted after noticing their provocative clothing.

"We are here to see _him_," Sango stated, surprised by her own resolute tone of voice.

The woman shut the door and unlatched the many locks and hooks adorning the entrance. When she finally got them all, she opened the door. Rin and Sango could instantly tell that she was a prostitute from her sickly complexion and threadbare clothing.

She ushered them both into the oddly-smelling house, and quickly redid every lock and latch. "Follow me, ladies," she sarcastically said, leading them up the deteriorating stairs. They were led into a bedroom, where the boos was seated on his sickeningly massive bed.

"Why, this must be my Christmas gift!" he leered at the girls, his yellow teeth and stinking breath too close for comfort. "Just the two I've been looking for..." he grabbed both of the girls' backsides, sending chills up their spines. "Why have you come back?" his tone suddenly changed as he hit Sango across her face, sending her back a few steps.

"We... we couldn't survive without you..." Rin stated, trying her best to sound sexy and alluring. "We had to come back."

He turned suddenly from Sango to Rin and brought her close to his body. "Of course you couldn't survive. I own you. Ever since I found you both, and rented your little bodies out... Oh, how I love little girls..." he ran his rather large hands over Rin's sides and grabbed her hair roughly. "I see you've made some changes to my merchandise," Rin assumed he meant their new hair colors. He pulled Rin by her hair closer to his oily face and kissed her straight-on. He pulled back and spit on Sango's feet, laughing as he did it. "Just as good as I remember, darling..."

He let go of Rin and inspected Sango in almost the same fashion as Rin. "It's such a pity that you two left. So many men just loved coming for you. I had to explain to many that they could no longer enjoy your company... and then I saw that little news story, Rin. You were running around with that business man for free, weren't you? Or did you merely keep the money for yourself?"

"Never," Rin pleaded, taking his hand to seem more convincing. "I owe you everything..."

He grabbed her chest, surprising her when he ripped off her sound device. "You really thought you could fool me?" He gestured for something and Rin and Sango found themselves held in tight grip of very muscular men. They ripped off both of their bugging devices, leaving them with even less clothes than they had started with.

The man they both hated fiercely grabbed a device and said to it, "Catch me if you can, little police fuckers."

The girls' hearts were racing, Rin thought she might explode from the stress.

"It's so unfortunate that I must do this, little Rin, miss Sango, but you are going to be an example for the girls and the police alike," he pulled out a long knife and walked like a predator toward the bound girls.

* * *

"_The leader of the ring found the bugs on Sango and Rin. Both women have been gravely wounded by the very man we have been after, sir. Our men have surrounded the place to try to retrieve them. The ring is well-armed, and our men are trying their best to infiltrate the house. If they have any more family, please inform them. I will inform you if the situation changes, sir."_

The policewoman's voice rang through Sesshomaru's ears. For once in his life he felt out of control. His eyes began to fade into a sharp red, and his claws and teeth were sharpening.

Inutaisho put a hand on Sesshomaru's shoulder to calm him for a moment before he rushed to grab Tenseiga.

Sesshomaru suddenly remembered his father's words upon giving him the sword, _'This sword does not cut the living, but cuts what is dead.' _He never appreciated his father more than he did at that moment.

* * *

Pain for the first jabs.

Screams.

I forget if they're mine...

"_Oh, my little Rin! How cute you look in that dress mommy bought you!"_

"_I'm so sorry Mrs. Ito, your husband did not survive... his heart gave out..."_

"_REN! Why did you leave me...? ...Rin, Rin... mommy will be alright, just go to bed..."_

"_911 lady? My mommy's not waking up..."_

"_That little girl, over there. Rin, her name is. Her mother killed herself, let her all alone. She's much too old to be adopted now..."_

"_Are you hungry, pretty little girl? I have some food... that's right, come here..."_

_'Maybe I'll pretend I got picked up by that silver-haired man… he's so quiet…so serene…'_

_"Yeah. Go ahead and order whatever you want… you only live once, right?"_

Sesshomaru...

_"Yes… I want children, and you..." _

At least he'll care when I'm dead... someone to care...

* * *

A/n: words escape me to describe this last chapter.

... Rejoice my readers, for I now have a laptop, and therefore can write whenever I please!

And as a bit of selfish advertising, check out my new one-shot,_ Ulterior Motives_, starring Sesshomaru and Rin.


	20. Chapter 20

Inutaisho and Sesshomaru arrived at the scene within moments of jumping out of their hotel room's window. They saw numerous armored vehicles and cop cars surrounding the building and the NYPD pointing guns at the entrance, yelling demands at the alleged ring.

News crews were beginning to gather, calling the standoff a gambit of the NYPD to bust a major prostitution ring which was prevalent in the downtown areas.

From the demons' perch on an apartment building across the street, Sesshomaru could see that the humans could no better reach Rin and Sango than a barking dog catch a cat in a tree. With a silent clue to his sire, Sesshomaru jumped with great power to the surrounded building. Using his superb speed, Inutaisho followed, unseen to the distraught people below.

They came to a flimsy door on the roof and made quick work of it with their claws. Sesshomaru made his way down the narrow and darkly illuminated stairwell to the floor below. He could not hear much of anything. No screams, no pleading, just a few male voices speaking softly of negotiations and their escape.

Then as the pair of demons made their way toward the voices, they smelled blood. Loads of it.

Inutaisho tried to clam his son, but Sesshomaru could not control his utter demand for revenge. His eyes bled red, and his pupils turned a striking shade of teal, shrinking inward and looking like killer diamonds. His aura flared, making his mortal-appearance weaken. When he could take the smell no longer, he ripped off his silver chain to appear as his more demonic self.

"What are you doing?" Inutaisho practically barked at his son.

Sesshomaru's voice came out raspy and edgy, "Going to scare the shit out of some little shits."

Inutaisho blocked their escape, using his power only to throw them back into Sesshomaru's rampage. Some, who were trying anything to escape the scariest thing they'd ever encountered, broke through windows to the unforgiving street below.

Though he did not like humans to be killed at the hands of humans, these bastards did not count in his book. Selling bodies for pleasure, molesting and abusing children... were cause enough for death. He averted his eyes from the scene, regardless. His days of massacres and death were long past him.

Sesshomaru looked at the mess he had created and then to his last remaining victim, who was shaking and sweating. Sesshomaru even smelled urine on the man.

"You are the leader?" he used his most intimidating tone, one he had not used in many years.

The man, who was backing into a wall, replied, "No, no, you already got him, man."

Sesshomaru advanced threateningly, "You do not lie."

When Sesshomaru was almost touching him, the man pulled his arms in front of his face and pleaded, "Please! Do not kill me! I'll do anything, anything at all!"

Sesshomaru's eyebrow rose, and he smiled. The most dangerous omen in the world was Sesshomaru's smile. "Where are the two girls?"

"In the next room!"

Inutaisho quickly sped off.

"Then, since you do not wish to die, will take the blame," Sesshomaru grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and knocked him over the head with force that nearly killed the skinny man. After quickly making it seem as if the man had done it, he ran to the adjacent room.

The sight that met his eyes almost brought the great dog demon to his knees. Both of the girls, one his friend and the other his love, were thrown carelessly to the ground. Their faces were barely recognizable, cut up by a sharp object. Their bellies had been opened to show more of the human insides than either of the dog demons had ever wanted to know about. Arms and legs were bent at unfathomable angles, and their spines seemed to curve in unmeasurable ways.

The great lord Sesshomaru shed tears as he flopped down next to Rin's broken body.

Inutaisho pulled him hastily up, yelling, "We don't have much time before the police catch on to what has happened." He pulled out Tenseiga, waited for a moment, and swiped the area over Sango's bloody mass of a body.

Sesshomaru, who was thoroughly confused, was shocked to see her body coming back together and her wounds closing right before his eyes.

_'This sword does not cut what is living, but cuts what is dead.'_

A resurrection sword, then? Sesshomaru knew there was a reason that he spoke to and tolerated his father.

When he could hear Sango's heart starting, Inutaisho tossed the sword to his son, who caught it and immediately felt a surge of power.

'Please, Tenseiga.'

Then, with a pulse that felt like a response, Sesshomaru saw creatures of the underworld picking at the remains of Rin's body. With the grandest swipe of the sword that Sesshomaru had ever made, the creatures were cut down and Rin's body began to stir.

Sango was now opening her eyes and breathing heavily, touching her body to make sure it was all there. Inutaisho assured her, and helped her to stand.

Sesshomaru waited for all of the little parts of Rin's body to come back together and form all the right parts. When her stomach had closed and her face seemed cut-free, he sat on his heels and called her name with such tenderness that Inutaisho almost cried.

* * *

"Sweet, sweet Rin..."

I heard a voice calling softly to me, next to my ear. A pleasant voice...

"You must hear me, darling..."

I do.

"Good, Rin."

Where is this place?

"Everywhere, and nowhere, Rin, you are no longer in the mortal world."

I am dead.

"Yes, you are dead. Do not despair, death can be a release, a joy."

I did live miserably... except when Sesshomaru was there.

"Your love, hm?"

I never said love.

"You are not technically speaking."

I know your voice. Where do I know it from?

"It has been long since you have heard my voice. I am Ren."

Daddy?

"Of course. I had to greet you, sweetheart. It has been so long."

Much too long. I can be with you again. And with mom.

"I am afraid we cannot be together."

Why not?

"You most heroic love is calling you."

But I have passed from the mortal world, to here.

"The world is more complex than you know."

Will I be with you again?

"You, your smile and heart, keep me nearby, no?"

_Forever._

"Then we shall meet again, Rin. This was not your time to die."

I love you, daddy.

–

A/n: I almost cut the scene of Rin and Ren. It's really cliche, but I kept it anyways because daddies are the best things ever. EVER. To me, at least.

I also disregarded snipers. They totally would've gotten the bad guys before Sesshomaru, or shot the hell out of Sesshomaru. So they were detained by some inconvenient bank robbery during this chapter.

This one was short... hmm... sorry. But I updated.


	21. Chapter 21

Sesshomaru lifted her upper body to his chest, hearing her take in air after a long pause. After a few weak inhales, she came around and looked straight into her savior's golden eyes.

"Welcome back, Rin," his voice was sincere and warm. He quickly stood and helped her to her feet. She took this as an opportunity to hug him, and made Sesshomaru feel that much better. Sango hopped over to her best friend and demanded a hug as well after they had detached from one another.

Inutaisho was the only one cognizant of their short time and started to formulate a plan. When he heard the lower door being forced open, he quickly told them what they must do to preserve their innocence and the secret of demons.

Rin and Sango were to remain in that room, feigning injury and shock as well as having no clue as to what went on next door.

The father and son duo swept back up to the roof and jumped gracefully across the street to watch and listen.

They watched as the police made their way up the stairs, swiftly breaking down all of the building's doors. They found Rin and Sango first, and quickly evacuated them from the building. Sesshomaru had to restrain himself from jumping down to meet her, instead letting her get into a cop car. They saw all of Sesshomaru's victims, save for those who jumped out of the window, found by the party of policemen. They saw Rin and Sango driven away, then turned their attention back to the traumatized men.

With the demon's super hearing, they heard Sesshomaru's 'fall guy' had come around and quickly admit that, "Everything is my fault, arrest me, arrest me!"

With blood on his hands, face, and clothing, the officers believed him. Two of the officers took the man into custody and the rest began to see if there were any survivors in the room. There weren't.

"Let's go find Rin and Sango, shall we?" without waiting for an answer, Inutaisho started to impressively jump from roof to roof in the direction of the headquarters from a few days ago.

Sesshomaru followed with ease, letting his mind wander to Rin as he jumped alongside his father.

Why had Rin not spoken? Was she so distraught from her brutal slaying?

With these thoughts, Sesshomaru was sure that he should have slaughtered all those men again.

* * *

"Now, girls, are you comfortable?" a detective asked in a comfortable sitting room, handing both a bottle of water as he asked.

They were brought back to the same headquarters from a few days back, provided hot showers to wash away the dried blood, and given clothes to replace their shredded ones.

"Yes, officer, thank you," Sango answered, wishing Rin would talk or cry or do something other than stare blankly.

The man sat on a chair facing the two on the couch and sighed, "While you two were washing up, the officers at the scene discovered all but one man dead. Seems like they were slaughtered brutally by one of their own and some even jumped out the window to escape."

"They sound pretty desperate to get away from the killer," Sango commented.

"Yes. However, it seems like that was the smart thing to do. Three died on impact with the street, but one survived," he told them. "He is pretty broken up, but he'll survive. We need you two to identify him for us, and his part in the prostitution ring. Could you do that for us?"

Rin and Sango both nodded, and Sango said, "No promises, though. If he was some lowly flunky then we probably never really encountered him."

They were led out to the front of the building and were waiting for a car to come around when Sesshomaru and Inutaisho appeared before them.

Rin was quickly taken into Sesshomaru's arms and Inutaisho put his arm across Sango's slim shoulders to comfort her as best he could.

Sango looked up to Inutaisho and asked, "How the hell are we alive?"

"All will be explained, my dear, when no one else is around. I promise you," Inutaisho assured her. He turned to watch his son stroke Rin's hair and tell her all sorts of comforting, pretty words. All Inutaisho wanted now was to go home and see the rest of his family.

"Ah, the Takahashi men," came the familiar voice of Agent Ross from a rolled-down window of a police SUV. "I was just about to take the girls over to the hospital to identify a survivor of the ordeal. Would you like to accompany them?"

Sesshomaru, after getting over the fact that someone survived his rage, affirmed their company.

* * *

At the hospital, Sango and Rin were taken to an anonymous room guarded by armed policemen. Mr. Ross assured them that the man in the room couldn't even walk, let alone hurt them. With Sesshomaru's guidance, Rin walked in and looked at the broken man before her.

Of course, he would be the one to survive, Rin mused. He was such a coward, he probably jumped out of the window the moment he sensed danger. He preyed on little girls, innocent, helpless girls.

And there he was, broken on a hospital bed. His legs were awkwardly thrust into slings, wraps covered the limbs from toe to hip. The wrap around his head showed splotches of blood and clumps of greasy black hair. If it were not for Sesshomaru's hand on her shoulder, Rin would have run away when she saw his unforgiving eyes trying to focus on her.

"Can you identify this _man_?" Mr. Ross asked with an undisguised tone of disgust.

"He is the leader of the ring... or what's left of it," Sango told him as she glared at her former tormentor.

"Do you know his name?"

"Not sure. He was always called 'boss' or 'sir,'" Sango said as she turned to walk out of the room.

"Do you know, Rin?" Mr. Ross asked, hoping that she would finally speak.

She merely shook her head as a 'no' and began to follow her friend out of the door. Mr Ross followed suit, and did not see Sesshomaru whip over to the broken man's bedside.

Sesshomaru looked him straight in the eye and whispered in the lowest voice he could muster, "I'll kill you if you ever walk or talk again." And the silver-haired demon swept out of the room as he smelled the man's bedpan fill up.

* * *

After a brief interview with the detectives, the party of four headed to their hotel. Sango plead, for herself and Rin, that they had been knocked out and had no idea what exactly happened.

They headed to their rooms for a well-deserved rest.

The group was waiting to go to breakfast the next morning, Christmas day, in the lobby when Sesshomaru heard a familiar, high-pitched voice.

_Estelle._

"Hi, mister!" the little girl ran from her group of small children and tugged on Sesshomaru's pant leg to get his attention, which she certainly had. She had the entire lobby's attention. "Is this your wife?" she tried to whisper. When he did not answer her, she loudly exclaimed to Rin, who was holding the man in question's hand, "Your babies would be sooooo pretty!"

And Rin, who had not spoken since being revived, laughed. When she had recovered and took in sufficient air, she said to the little blondie, "They would be pretty, wouldn't they?"

Estelle smiled back and nodded, not letting go of her grip on Sesshomaru's pant leg.

"Estelle! You mustn't bother these people!" the woman from the elevator stomped over from the front desk, trying to gesture for Estelle to let go.

Sesshomaru, who sensed Rin's like of the little girl, said, "No problem, miss. Would you and your family like to eat a Christmas breakfast with us? It would be my treat."

The woman looked quite taken aback by the comment, but said after recovering, "All six of us? That would be quite generous of you."

"Please. Only six? You do not wish to bring your husband?" Sesshomaru assumed.

The woman raised her eyebrow and caught on to what he thought. "Sir, I am one of the New York City group home managers, not their actual mother," the woman picked up one of the smaller children in her small herd. "We are staying in this hotel because of a very generous donation, on a mission to get these children adopted by prospective families in the area."

Rin's smile faded. She knew what it was like to be in a group home, trying to be adopted, even though she didn't stay in hers for very long.

Sesshomaru, knowing Rin's background after their questions game, encouraged the group to follow them into the hotel restaurant for breakfast.

It was in this moment that Inutaisho knew that Sesshomaru had a compassionate heart.

The enlarged group spoke of pleasant things during their hardy breakfast, avoiding the dire happenings of the day before.

During the entire dinner, Sesshomaru was burdened by his future. He wanted children, as did Rin. But according to her past, children would not be possible, biologically.

Adoption was a possible solution, was it not?

Sesshomaru happily paid for the entire meal, he even generously tipped the waiter. Then, he excited the children by telling them all to come with him to the Disney store a few blocks away. On the drive, Sesshomaru made a few calls and pulled a few strings. He wanted these helpless kids to have a Christmas today. When the limo arrived at the store, Sesshomaru was flanked by five kids, their home mother, Rin, Sango, and his very proud father.

A bribed manager opened the store for them, and Sesshomaru told them all to pick out anything they wanted.

"You've become quite the tender soul, Sesshomaru," Rin said, watching the children scurry away excitedly.

"Beauty has tamed the Beast," he replied, looking at the Beast's rose in a display case as he spoke.

Rin smiled and entwined her fingers with his impeccably long digits. "You're a very good man, Sesshomaru."

"You're a very wonderful woman," he said, then bent gracefully to kiss her cheek.

Rin smiled at him and pecked him on the lips.

Their first kiss.

* * *

A/n: I hope this wasn't terribly disjointed. I was listening to some weird internet radio stations while writing...

My last post was on 1-11-11. It was hard to change that super-cool date by updating, but I felt that some of you, my dearest readers, would hunt me down and murder me for making you wait any longer.


	22. Chapter 22

A couple of days before New Year's, Rin and Sesshomaru found themselves miraculously alone. Inutaisho had flown back to Japan to spend the rest of the holiday with the family. Sango was in a housing district in the suburbs, meeting her brother for the first time in many years.

They sat at the hotel restaurant while finishing their dinner, carrying on a quiet conversation with an occasional question out of their ongoing game being thrown in.

Their conversation took a serious tone when Sesshomaru spotted Estelle and her group home mother cross the lobby. He noticed that the mission to get all off the children adopted was going quite well, and many of the kids had already been placed in homes in only a few days. Only Estelle remained, making Sesshomaru's formerly cold heart ache.

Rin noticed his line of sight and said, "That little girl is so wonderful. I hope a nice family adopts her." She gazed at the happy little girl and sighed.

"Rin, even if we are not married, we could still adopt her," Sesshomaru said in a tone he used only when they were alone.

Rin's heart about stopped.

When he didn't get any verbal recognition from her, he went on, "Of course, I do want to marry you, Rin." With less grace than he was used to, he pulled out the little box he'd been carrying around for quite some time and opened it with great care. "I'm not really sure how you would expect a proposition to go, Rin... but I wanted to make this official between us."

He pulled his chair out, catching the eye of many of the other patrons and staff of the restaurant. When he dropped on one knee, the entire restaurant and lobby had his attention.

"Rin, will you marry me?"

Many of the women around them gasped or sighed, but then all fell hushed, waiting for the reply.

Rin smiled the smile she shared with her father, and said with a tone of abounding bliss, "Yes."

The surrounding people applauded and cheered as he slipped the golden ring onto her finger. When he stood to kiss her, they heard a high-pitched 'I knew it, mister!'

After a quick peck, they turned to see little Estelle smiling ear-to-ear, her 'mother' cheering with the rest of the crowd.

He turned his attention back to Rin when he heard her gasp, "These are my parents' rings, aren't they?"

He smiled down at her, and said, "With a little extra."

She admired the beautiful set, then let out a couple of tears. She told him in Japanese as best she could, "Thank you, Sesshomaru. It's wonderful."

Sesshomaru caught her hand and left a generous tip on the table. "Do you want to go talk to Estelle's orphanage mother about adopting her?" She nodded excitedly and followed him. He led her to the elevators where Estelle and her 'mother' were waiting to go up.

"Hello, lovebirds," Estelle's 'mother' said. Brenda was what she had said her name was, Sesshomaru remembered. "Congratulations!"

Estelle bounded up to them both and smiled, showing off her missing tooth. She tugged on Sesshomaru's pant leg, like always, and said, "I've been playing with my new dolly so much, mister! I love my new princess dolly!"

Sesshomaru merely patted her head and addressed Brenda, "We would like to speak with you."

Brenda's eyebrows rose in confusion, but she nodded anyway. "Do you want to come up to our room and talk?"

"Sure," Rin replied.

They made their way up to her floor and sat down at the smaller hotel room's table. Estelle had made a play area out of bath towels on the floor and began to play 'rescue the princess' with the doll that Sesshomaru had purchased for her.

Brenda pulled up another chair from across the room and sat down. "What do you two want to talk about?" she asked.

Rin grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and squeezed. "We are looking to possibly adopt Estelle," Rin said.

Brenda looked from the couple to the little girl on the floor and smiled. "Really?" she said, not really asking a question. "Why do you two want to adopt, first of all?"

Rin took the question upon herself and answered, "Because I am incapable of having children."

Brenda nodded and asked, "Secondly, why Estelle?"

Sesshomaru answered, surprising his fiance, "We're smitten with her. And we feel sympathetic. Rin was orphaned, and was never adopted."

Brenda shot a sad look at Rin and immediately understood their connection with the little girl. "There would be a lot of paperwork to fill out, especially if you plan to take her out of the state."

"What about out of the country?" Sesshomaru asked.

Brenda thought and got up to check a file she kept at one of the bedsides. "A passport would be required. Meaning that after the adoption hearing, you would have to stay a few months longer."

"How long would the adoption hearing take?" Rin asked, shifting to better face the other woman.

"It would take a good six months to a year. But if you are approved in the process, you would technically be her foster parents during that time. But that would also mean you would have to stay here in New York," Brenda said, bringing the file back over to the table.

Sesshomaru flipped out his phone and expertly dialed, gesturing for the two to wait. Rin could hear English on the other side, but could only hear the exact words of Sesshomaru's side of the conversation.

"We require a favor... We are looking to adopt a child here in New York... Yes... The hearing would take some time... I have an attorney here in The States... Yes... Thank you, Mr. Ross, I will contact you shortly."

Then Sesshomaru shut his phone and told the other two, "The hearing can be arranged within the next two months. And her passport can be arranged within a week after that."

Brenda did not question his authoritative tone, instead calling Estelle over to the table. "Do you want to be adopted by these two, Estelle?" she asked the little blondie.

Estelle's eyes got as big as saucers and her mouth fell open. "_They_ want to adopt _me?_"

"We do," Rin said. "Do you want to be our baby girl?"

A stream of 'yes yes yes yes yes yes yes' followed. Estelle happily ran to their side of the table and into Rin's outstretched arms.

"You're really gonna be my mommy?" she asked, staring straight into Rin's dark eyes.

When Rin said 'of course' Estelle turned to Sesshomaru's golden eyes and asked him, with a lot of enthusiasm, "Are you gonna be my daddy?"

He nodded and basked in her excited squeals.

"I've never had a daddy or mommy before!"

Both Rin and Sesshomaru's hearts melted for the little girl, and both knew that they were doing a wonderful thing.

While they basked in the cheery moment, Brenda was spreading out numerous papers before the couple. "You will need to fill these out. Here is your financial papers, letting us know whether you can support children or not."

Sesshomaru and Rin exchanged a funny look as if to say 'Really?'

Brenda went on, not noticing their look, "These are for your background information. Last names, birthplaces, social securities, and such. These here are the name changes. You might want to talk to Estelle about these. Some children prefer to keep their birth names and others prefer to completely change them."

Estelle wasn't really listening, instead leaning into Rin's chest and happily humming a song to herself.

"The State of New York also prefers to have married couples as adoptive candidates. However, I can vouch that you both are happily engaged, which should smooth the process even more. I can't let you take custody of Estelle until both of your background checks come through clean, which might take a few days."

They spent the rest of the evening with Brenda and Estelle, talking about all of the things she'd need and telling their soon-to-be-daughter all about her new home in Japan. They were sad to say goodnight at the end of the night, but headed back to Rin's room smiling about the past few hours. They were engaged. They were going to have a child.

* * *

A/n: There will probably only be two chapters after this, a regular chapter and an epilogue.

Also, do not freak if 'Mushrambolover' is no longer my pen name. I think I'm going to change it to go with the new chapter of my life. It will probably be 'Megalomaniac' or something of the like. Or it might be something to do with the dawn... 'DawningMegalomania' maybe?


	23. Chapter 23

A/n: I honestly cannot believe that I am done with this story... This is the official last chapter. The epilouge is finished, and will be posted shortly.

It's been a long, wonderful journey. My writing had improved tremendously and I've learned a lot throughout all of it and through your wonderful reviews. Thank you so much for sticking with me.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Rin," Sesshomaru whispered next to Rin's ear, waking her from sleep.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him, gratefully accepting his hand to help pull her up. "You're up early..." she yawned, covering her mouth and stretching.

He ran a claw up her side and she noticed that he was in his natural, unmasked state, showing his flowing hair and demon markings.

"I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday, Miss twenty-year-old..." He said, then gently kissed her sleepiness away. "Estelle isn't up yet..." whispering into her exposed ear.

"Meaning?" teased Rin, whispering back into his pointed demonic ear.

"I can show you just how much I love you..." he ran his claws up her sides again.

Rin smiled, then took a stern look to stop his movements. "I told you 'no' before, and I'm telling you 'no' now. Not until we're married." It's not like she didn't really want it, or by extent, him. She would kill to do the deed with him. But, she'd done the deed with many others before, and she wanted her first time with Sesshomaru to be something special. He would be the only one to do it as her husband, as her love.

He sighed, then smiled back at her. "I know. It's a good thing our wedding is less than half a year away then, huh?" He then energetically got off of her bed and opened her curtains to reveal the Japanese landscape surrounding their new home not far from Inutaisho's residence.

She pushed her fluffy covers away and joined him at the window, basking in the relaxing moment. While she loved being Estelle's mom, she looked forward to quiet moments before and after her baby girl was asleep.

"I fired Daisuke last night," Sesshomaru stated out of the blue.

Rin put her head on Sesshomaru's chest and looked up at his golden eyes. "He _was_ a cheeky jerk... but why did you fire him?"

"He didn't know that all calls made on his company cellphone are recorded and reviewed. There is a call he made to that news station in New York, telling them that he had paid for you to sleep with me."

Rin almost laughed, saying, "That is technically true, Sesshomaru! But if he was the one that started the scandal rumors... it explains a lot."

Sesshomaru sighed and traced patterns on Rin's neck, wishing to put the foul Daisuke from his mind.

Their quiet moment was reveled in, then broken when a sleepy Estelle walked into the room, princess doll in one hand, a crayon-colored drawing in the other.

"Happy birthday, mommy," she said, handing the drawing to Rin.

The paper showed an undisguised Sesshomaru holding a crayon-produced Rin's hand. In front, stood a happily colored Estelle, a big black smile drawn on her orange-colored skin.

Rin bent to pick her little blondie up and said a heartfelt 'thank you' to her new daughter.

After their hug, Sesshomaru took their daughter, telling Rin that they were going to go make pancakes for her birthday.

Rin decided to get ready for the day, making her way to the bathroom to relieve herself.

What she saw while in the bathroom shocked her so much, she screamed.

Sesshomaru was outside the bathroom door in an instant, banging on the door and asking what was wrong.

"I'm dying!" she replied, slumping down next to the porcelain toilet.

At this answer, Sesshomaru promptly knocked the door off of its hinges and picked up his crying fiance. "What is wrong with you?" he asked gently, then saw what was smeared on the toilet seat.

_Blood._

* * *

I sat in Sesshomaru's car, trying to keep myself from crying while Sesshomaru handed off our baby to a maid.

He jumped in and sped off towards the demon hospital.

I could feel hot blood running down my legs.

I looked to Sesshomaru, and was shocked to see him in a state in which I had never seen him.

He didn't bother to put on his human guise, and his markings were subjected to the stress lines on his face.

His sharp teeth were drawing blood from his lip as he chewed on them, and his elongated nails dug into the leather covering the steering wheel.

His shirt, which he had hastily thrown on, was inside out, and his jeans were riding down his thighs, belt forgotten.

His stress was heartbreaking.

* * *

A feline-looking demon came into Rin's ER room calmly and smiled at the couple.

"It seems like there was nothing unusual going on, Mr. Takahashi, Ms. Ito. The blood you are experiencing is extremely normal," he sat down next to the hospital bed, facing the slightly-relieved couple. "The blood is a part of your menstrual cycle."

Rin and Sesshomaru stayed quiet, trying to process this new information.

The doctor went on after seeing their highly confused faces, "It is very uncommon to start menstruation at your age, Ms. Ito. Have you never experienced a period before?"

Rin balked, but answered, "Once when I was barely a teenager. But I had a procedure that stopped any further cycles. How is it possible that the blood is menstrual blood?"

While the doctor was thinking, Sesshomaru said, "Tenseiga. The sword that brought you back from the dead, Rin. It healed you right up. I could have healed old wounds too, I suppose."

Rin smiled excitedly, then asked the doctor, "Is there a chance that I can have children?"

The doctor thought, then nodded as he said, "Likely so. However, only time will tell. If you wish to avoid it, you can make an appointment with your regular physician to get birth control."

Rin smiled, looking at Sesshomaru as she said, "That won't be necessary."

This was one birthday Rin would never, _ever_, forget.


	24. Epilogue

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." -Scott Adams

* * *

I looked around the reception hall as my oldest daughter danced with my husband. Estelle looked so beautiful in her white wedding dress and was making my heart flutter to see her twirling with her father. My love for the now-grown woman had solidified and strengthened over the many years since her adoption. Her blue eyes looked toward me, the only mother she had ever known, and smiled, then turned back to her dad.

"_Are you gonna be my daddy?" _Estelle had asked Sesshomaru, when we had decided to adopt the little girl. She had always been the sweetest thing in the world.

Her wedding was grand, and everyone important in her life was here to celebrate it.

Izayoi and Inutaisho stood by me, enthralled by their adoptive granddaughter. With the way they had spoiled the once-orphaned girl throughout the years, no one could tell she wasn't theirs by blood.

Inuyasha and Kagome had brought their brood to see their niece's wonderful day. Ivaestsu and her two younger brothers watched as their cousin twirled around with their uncle.

"Mom?" My son, my miracle and surprise, came up behind me a hugged my side, watching as his older sister laughed with their father. "Sango said to bring you a tissue," he handed me the tissue with a little grin on his face, which resembled his father's, but his smile was definitely all mine and his grandfather's.

I stroked his silver hair and said softly into his puppy ears, "Oh, Mamoru, thank you. Will you go get Ren and bring him over here, so he doesn't flirt too much with the poor women over there?" I asked, then used the tissue to wipe away a stray tear.

"Of course, mom. Though my younger brother seems to be liking Sango's daughter more than any of the other ladies here."

I shooed him off and continued to watch my husband and daughter dance away. Their dancing reminded me of our own wedding, which seemed so long ago now. I had been accepted by the Miyamoto family, and with my marriage to Sesshomaru, the companies grew and the families rebuilt their relationship. Though our marriage was a bit of an accident, it was the best thing that had ever happened to both of us. Well, that and our children, both adopted and biological.

I saw my sons playfully argue and caught Sango, who was still my very best friend alongside Kagome, winking at me from beside Miroku, her husband. Their considerably large brood of children was accompanied by her brother, Kohaku, and his family. Sango seemed to be just as happy as I. Our pasts were behind us, and had only made our bonds stronger with each other and our families.

The DJ came on his system after the father/daughter dance to announce dinner. Sesshomaru and I sat at the table closest to the bridal party and enjoyed watching our daughter laugh and smile. After we had all eaten gluttonously, the DJ came on again to announce a special presentation from our sons.

Mamoru picked up the microphone and said with pride, "We've put together a very special show for everyone tonight, of the bride and groom's journey to this point in time. Please turn your attention to the screens..."

The show started, accompanied by some soft music. I sat, looking at my wedding and engagement ring with a sense of nostalgia. Sesshomaru had gotten my parents' rings and enhanced them for me, which was one of the most precious things he ever could have done. Sesshomaru grabbed my hand and squeezed when the first picture was of him, myself, and Estelle on the day we officially adopted her. She was missing teeth in her smile, and her dress came directly from her favorite place on earth, the Disney store.

In between pictures of our life, was the groom's life. He was a demon from the Takahashi company, who had known Estelle since we had adopted her and brought her back from Japan. At first, Sesshomaru didn't like the idea of any boy getting his daughter, but the groom was accepted by us like another son.

There was a picture of me in my wedding dress, holding Estelle in her matching little flower girl dress. Sesshomaru stood to the side, smiling, looking sharp in his tuxedo.

Another picture showed Estelle next to me in a hospital bed, holding her new little brother and grinning at the camera.

A few pictures later was of Estelle getting a piggyback ride from Inutaisho, her most beloved grandfather, while her two brothers followed closely behind.

The next was her graduation from high school, and the one after that was her graduation from college. In both she was surrounded by our family.

I was the proudest mother in the world.

"Rin, I love you," Sesshomaru whispered to me.

I put my head on his suit-covered shoulder and replied, "I love you too... We did a good job, didn't we?"

He glanced at our daughter and said, "We did the best job in the world raising her. But she was a good girl to start with," he laughed, probably remembering the first time he had come across our little girl.

"She was the start of our new life together, wasn't she?" I asked.

"She was_ at least_ a catalyst for it," he answered, stoking my palm with his clawed thumb.

We had moved past so much in our lives, together. Sesshomaru had overcome his cold, sullen demeanor and learned to care. I had conquered my unfortunate circumstances, and learned along the way that someone _could_ care.


End file.
